The Lunar Republic
by pandorapegasister
Summary: A year after Tirek's defeat, an explosion leaves Equestria weak and powerless. Now, five years later, one of the princesses has had enough of Celestia's reign. War will arise, loved ones will be lost, and time shall become something to kill for. Meanwhile, maybe love and friendship will bloom. Join our favorite characters as they fight for a better future. Rated T 'cause it's a war
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hey, everyone! This is the first time I've ever written for Fanfiction. Reviews would be greatly appreciated, though no flames allowed! All flames will be deleted. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, enjoy!**

Luna stares at the world outside her bedroom window. Even in Canterlot, the richest city in Equestria, you can easily see the damage of the explosion.

In the light of the just-rising sun, beyond the palace courtyard, she sees foals, some no older than six, begging for food. Far down Mane Street, she can see other, luckier foals being herded into a crumbling gray building. Luna remembers when it used to be the magnificent Canterlot Opera House, but now it's one of the many places transformed into orphanages for the foals.

Luna grabs a sack and heads down to the palace kitchen. It's supposed to be her time to get sleep, she knows, but she can do without it for a while.

She passes Celestia in the dining hall as she is having breakfast.

_Don't notice me, don't notice me._

"Luna!" her sister's voice calls out sternly, "You really should be getting ready for bed. How are you supposed to raise the moon tonight if you're tired?"

Luna sighs. Celestia always manages to catch her sneaking out of the castle once in a while.

"Oh, it's alright, Tia," she says nervously, "I'm just a bit hungry." She looked at her friend (and maid) Amethyst Star and asked, "Can you go put some bread and scones in a bag or on a plate? No jam, please, it just gets messy." Amethyst nods and scurries away.

Celestia raises an eyebrow at Luna. "Luna, if you're hungry, you can always sit here and eat. Why would you need a bag?"

"Well," Luna stammers, "there's this book I got from the Canterlot Archives that I really need to finish before it's overdue and-"

"Overdue?" Celestia asks.

Luna mentally slaps herself. Celestia herself was the librarian of the Canterlot Archives. She never gives due dates to Luna for books.

Celestia calmly levitates a teaspoon of strawberry jam and puts it on her scone. "Luna, remember that if ponies starve or become homeless, they only have **themselves** to blame. The rich are supposed to stay rich, and poor are supposed to stay poor."

Amethyst Star arrives with the plate of food just as Luna is preparing to make a run for it. She dashes out of the dining hall, levitating the plate.

Celestia rarely allows Luna to leave the palace anymore. Now, the sisters would have one trip across Equestria a year on the anniversary of the explosion to make speeches about how everypony shouldn't worry and that the famine would end soon.

_As if!_ Luna thinks as she quickly flies away from the heavily guarded palace courtyard, hauling her oversized sack of baked goods on her back. It has been five years after the explosion, and the famine is still there.

About a year after the defeat of Lord Teirk, Celestia had decided that she wanted to build a new city to be the capital of Equestria.

She had guards burn down the Everfree forest to make the room. Then she had all healthy mares between the age of eighteen and forty-five and all healthy stallions between the age of sixteen and fifty to come and work on building the new city.

Some lucky, very educated ponies were given the job of being supervisors and architects, as well as ponies that paid enough money to escape the physical labour. The rest of the ponies were supposed to work all spring, summer, and autumn hauling stone blocks to make the palace and the houses around it. After a small section was done, a flammable chemical was used to coat the walls so they would have a glossy look on them.

To get the stone blocks, explosives were often used. They were stored in the room next to the kitchen where food for the workers was cooked.

Luna had often tried to convince Celestia to cancel the building of the city. "We already have a marvellous capital," she would always say, "Why not just stay here?" Celestia would always shake her head and tell Luna that she didn't understand.

Now, five years after the explosion, Celestia still doesn't trust her. Luna can go wherever she wants in their palace, but that's it. No trips outside unless Celestia gives her permission. Even then, she has to be accompanied by one of Celestia's guards. Luna has always managed to sneak out, though, after Celestia said no to Luna's first request to bring food to the starving orphans that had been left by the explosion.

She lands on the roof of the orphanage she was scheduled to visit that day and quickly raps her secret code on the door of the attic that was no longer there. The code was just her name in an ancient language made of a series of taps called the Morse code. She was almost sure that Celestia didn't know it.

_Tap, pause, tap, tap, tap, pause, tap, pause, tap, and pause for the time of three taps. Tap, pause, tap, pause, tap, tap, tap, and pause for the time of three taps. Tap, tap, tap, pause, tap, and pause for the time of three taps. Tap, pause, tap, tap, and tap._

A mare with a midnight blue coat and a graying mane piled up in a bun opens the door a crack. She smiles when she sees the princess of the night.

"Come in!" she says happily, opening the door wider so her guest can come in, "The foals would be so happy to see you!"

They were. Not just because of the food that Luna brought, but because of the company that she provided. Many of the orphans had not been born and many were mere babies before the famine began. They loved hearing her stories about the better past, where everypony had enough to eat, where most foals had parents, and even those who didn't were treated with respect and given a good home.

"Tell us how you saved the Crystal Empire!" an earth pony filly says excitedly after the ponies had devoured the food. The other foals cheers in agreement.

"Well, it all started more than a thousand years ago…" Luna began.

**I hope that was a good read! Sorry if I don't update a lot. I get writer's block a lot. **

**Remember, Pinkie Pie's twitchy tail means something's gonna fall, if you meet a grumpy manticore, then take the thorn out of it's paw, and Discord likes zinnias!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi again! Bet you didn't expect me so soon! I just watched Dusk's Dawn and it made me feel weird. Don't worry, I had no idea what was going on through out the entire episode so I won't spoil it for you. Anyway, here's Chapter 2:**

Applejack drags her plough through the rough, packed, and grey dirt. This year, they would plant a new batch of crops and hope that something other than potatoes would grow this year. They were still planting a batch of potatoes, though, just in case.

She stares at the charred remains of the Everfree. In three weeks, it would be the fifth anniversary of the explosion. The princesses would come and give the same cheerful speech about how the famine would be over before they know it.

_Well, we sure as heck know it and there's still children starvin' in the streets._ Applejack thinks as she drops seeds along the thin lines of dirt made by the plough.

-Line break-

Five years ago, she, all her friends except for Twilight, some other relatives, and her brother Big Macintosh were sent to work on the new capital.

Every day, she would work her tail off dragging stone blocks that were almost the same size as her up and down the ramps to make the walls of the palace. Sometimes she would here a scream or two from some unfortunate ponies who had parts of their bodies crushed by a falling stone.

Twilight had tried to help her, giving her money so she could pay her way to be an architect. Applejack had refused. She and Rainbow Dash had decided to work on the walls. They would not be one of the cheaters.

Every night, she would collapse on the cot she was assigned to, drenched in sweat. She would think about how she would be able to relax when winter came, before falling into a deep sleep.

That winter would be the most somber one they had.

-Line break-

_Applejack was strapping herself to another huge block when Rainbow Dash and Big Macintosh came to find her._

_ "__AJ!" Rainbow panted, (Was that smoke she could smell?) "Kitchen… fire… Pinkie… Fluttershy …_**HELP!**_"_

_Applejack followed her friend and her brother. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were both helping out in the kitchens. If the kitchen that her friends were in was on fire- she didn't want to think about what would happen if the fire reached the boxes of dynamite packed in the room beside the kitchen._

_They didn't have to go too far. Applejack could see the camp kitchen, shrouded in flames. Big Macintosh charged into the burning building._

_ "__Come on, Rainbow," Applejack urged, tugging her friend's tail. Rainbow Dash didn't budge._

_ "__Come __**on**__!" Applejack yanked the rainbow-colored tail again._

_ "__Applejack, it's too dangerous," Rainbow Dash replied, "Go to the well, and let's get some water."_

_ "__But—" Applejack was cut off when Big Macintosh burst through the flames. He was dragging Pinkie Pie while Fluttershy trailed behind him._

_ "__No," Pinkie was whimpering, "Mr. and Mrs. Cake are still in there."_

_The red stallion turned back._

_ "__Mac?"Applejack said weakly, "Are you—"_

_ "__Eeyup," he replied, charging inside the building once again._

_Applejack was about to chase after him. The fire was going to touch the explosives. Rainbow Dash nudged Applejack._

_ "__Come on, guys," the cyan pegasus was telling them, "to the well."_

_The four mares stumbled towards the tiny well a few hundred yards away from the kitchen. There was already a line of ponies holding buckets and hauling water away._

_Despite the crowd of ponies dumping water all over the burning building, the fire just starts again. _It's the flammable thing they put on the walls,_ Applejack thought,_ -petroleum?

_Fluttershy glanced at the kitchen. Her eyes widened._

_ "__It's like the forest fires," she murmured, just loud enough for Applejack to hear. "Everypony run!" she screamed, "It's gonna blow!"_

_About half a dozen ponies listened to Fluttershy's warning and ran. Applejack figured that the rest of the ponies either had family in there or didn't hear her friend._

_Pinkie Pie poked the orange mare nervously._

_ "__C'mon, AJ," she urged, "You heard Fluttershy."_

_ "__But Big Mac is still in there!" Applejack snapped._

_Rainbow Dash grabbed her farm pony friend and flew away, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie followed them in the same way._

_Applejack struggled. Her brother. He was still in the building. There must have been at least a ton of dynamite in there. If they caught on fire…_

_A moment later, she heard it before she saw it. A deafening boom. A spark flying onto her mane. Rainbow Dash crying out. Falling, burning, and hitting the ground. Staring at the sky, orange with fire and gray with smoke._

Don't give up,_ a tiny voice inside her head said sharply, _remember your brother.

_Applejack knew the voice was right. She had to find Big Macintosh. But she just wanted to lie on her little patch of ground for the rest of her life. She had never noticed how soft the dirt was before, softer than the comfiest of all beds._

Don't even bother,_ another voice cooed softly,_ it'll be so much easier. Just close your eyes and relax.

_All around her, Applejack heard other explosions and ponies screaming. The soothing voice was right. It was useless to struggle._

_The fire in the sky faded as Applejack let the darkness take over._

-line break-

Applejack cringes with grief. No, it's best not to think about it. To remember once a year during Capital Canterlot Week is enough. It wouldn't do any good to anyone to become like Cheerilee.

Someday, though, she will change Equestria for the better. No matter the cost.

**Bet you thought it was just going to be Luna's POV. I like writing Luna, but I like writing a story with altering POVs. **

**Next chapter will be another royal. (Hint: We've been hyped about her while waiting for Season 4.)**

**You'll have to wait a few more chapters if you want to find out what happened to Cheerilee, though!**

**Wow! Thirty views, one follower, and one offer to co-write a story all in twenty-four hours! I'm flattered, guys. Thanks.**

**Remember, if you see something while guarding a corridor, just assme that it's a flying cat, never put on magical rings sent by Celestia, and kicking the door open and shouting is never a good idea. (Yes, I did just reference Dusk's Dawn.)**

**Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi, everyone! I just watched the Season 5 spoilers for MLP today, plus a clip from Rainbow Rocks. You know, now that I've seen the clip, the movie might not be too bad. (Don't hurt me...)**

**Anyway, here's today's chapter:**

Skyla twirls a bit of her lemon and amethyst-colored hair around her hoof. Her sapphire-colored eyes darts around the private classroom. The five year old rose-colored alicorn rests her eyes on her teacher-an old guard of Great-Aunt Celestia's. He was still lecturing on the history of something-or-the-other, unaware that his student was just doodling on her notebook.

Professor Magister raps the filly's desk with his crystal pointer stick.

"Miss Sparkle," he says sternly, "can you explain to me the defeat of Nightmare Moon?"

Skyla's eyes widen. "Um, Nightmare Moon was a pony who wanted to bring on eternal night. Then Princess Celestia banished her to the moon."

The brown unicorn sighs, and explains the story of Nightmare Moon again. Then he says, "Princess Skyla Sparkle, please hold out your hoof."

Skyla does what she's told. Professor Magister hits the filly's hoof with the pointer stick. Skyla winces.

The rest of the lesson is painfully dull. Skyla listens to every word, though, she didn't want another beating.

A bazillion years later, (or so it seems) Skyla's servant, Kayla, comes in and tells her that it's time for break.

"So, Skyla," the yellow crystal pony asks the filly, "what did you learn today?"

Said alicorn rolls her eyes. "I learned the story of Nightmare Moon twice. Magister hit me the first time because I wasn't paying attention."

Kayla frowns. "He should really make sure his classes are more interesting. I heard how he drones on and on about something. I almost fell asleep when I was listening in. He shouldn't hit you, either. You're only six! It's not your fault that this stuff is so boring."

The two ponies giggle, but inside, Skyla worries. If one of Celestia's guards caught Kayla listening in, she would be whipped and dismissed. The sixteen-year-old crystal pony was, technically, Skyla's slave. Slaves were not allowed to learn. To listen in on their masters' or mistresses' classes would be counted as spying.

Skyla had convinced her guards to keep it all a secret, but she knew that it was only about a matter of time when Celestia found out. Skyla's parents might turn a blind eye, but not her great-aunt.

Hours later, the two ponies play in Skyla's room.

"Skyla," Kayla says while brushing said foal's hair, "I heard from your mother's servants that this year, you'll also be speaking for Canterlot Capital Week."

Skyla sighs. "I know. I've seen how the crowds glare at Mom when she speaks. They think that royalty are always snobs." She smiles, "But I'm allowed to write my own speech. I'll prove them wrong."

For a moment, Kayla looks uncomfortable. Then she smirks teasingly. "I'll help you with your grammar," she says, "Your spelling, too. You can't spell if your life depended on it!"

Skyla gives her friend a playful shove. They laugh.

-Line break- A day later, the two ponies sit in front of Skyla's parents.

"Skyla," Princess Cadence says sternly, "Professor Magister has informed me that you have been daydreaming in class again."

"No I haven't!" the younger alicorn protests.

Prince Shining Armour raises an eyebrow. "Really," he says flatly, "I guess you won't mind, then, if I quiz you."

Skyla gulps, and then looks at Kayla. Said servant gives the filly an encouraging nod.

"Y-yes, Father," Skyla replies.

"What are the six attributes the Elements of Harmony represent?" asks Shining Armour.

Skyla looks at Kayla again. Kayla crosses her front legs and rocks slightly back and forth.

"Kindness," Skyla says slowly.

Kayla smiles.

"Laughter."

Kayla holds her hoof out.

"Generosity."

Kayla puts a hoof to her heart.

"Honesty."

Kayla holds a hoof to her head, the way a soldier might when they're saluting.

"Loyalty."

Kayla holds a hoof to her forehead, where a unicorn's horn would be.

"And Magic."

"Who conquered the Crystal Empire?" asks Cadence.

Kayla frowns.

"Sombra."

"_King_ Sombra," Shining Armour corrected, "Good job, Skyla, but try to pay more attention in class."

Her mother looks at Kayla suspiciously, but Skyla doesn't worry.

"Very well, then," Cadence says finally, "We have other matters to discuss with you, Skyla."

Skyla nods.

"You probably know that in less than three weeks, Canterlot Capital Week would begin," Shining Armour says, "Now that you've had your coronation, Skyla, you will be expected to make a speech in front of Equestria."

"I'm allowed to write my own speech, right?" Skyla asks.

Cadence nods. "You may, but Princess Celestia has requested that your specific part in the speeches be about what will happen when the famine ends. After you've written your speech, give it to me and I'll send it to Celestia to be approved. It should be sent in one week. You should get writing."

Skyla's heart sank. Celestia would never approve of the speech she was thinking of. Now the Equestrians would hate her as well.

**Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn...**

**So, Skyla's this unofficial princess that's supposed to be Cadence and Shining Armour's bundle of joy. There was a whole bunch of merchandice of her during the wait for Season 4 and an April Fool's prank page actuall listed a Season 4 episode as "Meet Princess Skyla". We didn't actually see her in Season 4, so I thought I'd put her here.**

**Remember, never step on the rock farm on a map of Equestria, if you see a town with creepily smiling ponies with identical cutie marks, run away screaming, and Sirens are badass!**

**Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi everyone! There isn't much to say today, so here's today's chapter:**

Luna puts on her cloak and exits the orphanage by the battered front door. She hopes that nopony would recognize her, especially the guards that were patrolling all over the streets. They say that they work for both of the Royal Sisters, but Luna, and everypony in Canterlot knows that they are all Celestia's guards.

She approaches the nearest foal shivering on the sidewalk and gives him two thick pieces of bread. The colt takes the bread and mutters thanks.

Luna looks at the fillies and colts lying in their makeshift shelters in the streets. She would have to make sure that they go to an orphanage later.

-Line break-

The next filly is less shy. Luna finds her and a colt that couldn't be more than six years old huddled together under a big piece of cardboard. The two foals' features unnerve her, though she doesn't know why.

The older filly, maybe twelve, has a dull-bronze colored coat spotted with white. Her curly mane has a golden hue. It probably would have been beautiful, Luna figures, but it looks like it's been hacked off with a knife. Her eyes were alert and calculating, though blacker than Luna's night.

Her brother has a bright yellow coat with a band of black on his neck. His mane was snowy white splattered with flecks of black and light brown. He had the same eyes as his sister.

Luna approaches the two foals. The filly looks at her and scowls, wrapping her large, feathery wings around her brother protectively.

"Well, if it isn't the princess herself," the filly sneers, although Luna gets the feeling that the filly is more scared than she's letting on. "Come to tell us that everything is going to be fine?"

Luna looks around at the guards leaning against the wall of the alleyway across from them. They were too busy playing poker to overhear the filly.

"Hush if you want to get any food," she scolds, "How did you know it was me?" The hood of the cloak is dark enough for ponies to not see her face. She isn't wearing any jewelry, and the cloak covers her entire body, so there was almost no way that the filly can know that it was her.

The filly rolls her eyes. "I can see your face underneath that hood. Don't worry, though, my eyes are better than most ponies, and I won't rat you out. What did you say about food?"

Luna smiles in relief. She gives both foals a few scones. "What happened to your hair?" Luna asks out of curiosity.

The filly's expression darkens. "I had to sell it to pay for food," she says, "My mom tried to start a protest with her friends, and guards came to our house about a month ago. They killed my mom, but we managed to escape. Meadow was starving," she gestured to her brother, "so I figured that some fancy wig maker would pay for my hair." She glares at Luna. "You guys had them come, didn't you?"

Luna looks at the filly with regret. She remembers vaguely about her sister talking about a protest to a guard a month ago.

"I'm sorry- uh, what's your name?"

"Nightingale,"

"Well, I'm sorry, Nightingale. I didn't know about the protest. Celestia makes all the decisions nowadays. Here." She hands Nightingale an eight-bit piece.

Nightingale snorts. "Well, next time you'll know. Your sister is killing innocent ponies for trying to get a better life. What are you going to do about it?"

Luna looks at the sun, now halfway across the sky. She would just visit a few more foals, maybe try to get them a place in an orphanage. If she stays in one place for too long, then the Celestia's guards would come and question her. A few of them are already looking suspiciously in her direction.

She can't blame Celestia for trying to shut her in the castle. Luna had tried to overthrow her, so many centuries ago. She was arrogant that time, and tried to overthrow her sister because of pride. This is different. If something changes, it would benefit all of Equestria. Not just her.

She looks at Nightingale and Meadowlark tenderly. It would benefit all children like them. Ponies would not be executed for trying to lead a better life. Their children would have a life with a family.

If something attacks Equestria, then Luna will shield her subjects with her night, not just sit around like her sister.

"I'm going to start the revolution," she tells them.

A few guards start to walk in her direction. She turns and runs, letting the shadows cover her escape.

**Ohhh... we're already getting started with the war. **

**125 views! Wow! Although I still have zero reviews. Tell you what, guys, if I get ten reviews by tomorrow, I give you guys a double update.**

**Remember, if you get two tickets to the gala, just send them back so you can get more, harvesting an entire orchard of apples is a bad idea, and hail the Lunar Republic- For the Glory of Night!**

**Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi again, everyone! Sorry about that painfully long wait, but I had a bad case of writer's block and I couldn't write anything good.**

**I told you guys to give me ten reviews (or was it fifteen?) and I'll give you guys a double update. Unfortunately, I only had one review. But that's okay. Still, for this chapter, ten reviews = one double update.**

**Guest: Can you give me a description of your OC Oceanstar? Thanks.**

**Anyway, here's today's chapter:**

Pinkie Pie drops three potatoes into a pot of boiling water. This would be her family's meal for the next two days.

She brushes her straight pink hair behind her ears and goes to get the small bag of flour that her mother had saved for a year to buy.

Pinkie sighs. _Seriously,_ she thinks,_ how can they still get wheat?_

"Pinkamena," her sister Marble calls from outside their small cottage, "give me a pick! I think I found something shiny!"

Pinkie grabs the old, worn-down steel pick that once belonged to her father and races out the door. If Marble found a precious stone, then they could afford to get three meals a day in the future. They might even get a small portion of their farm back.

Marble is standing on the other side of the yard. Their mother, Cloudy Quartz, is standing beside her. Pinkie sees a glint of gold.

Marble grabs the pick and chips away at the piece of gold. (At least, Pinkie Pie hopes that it's gold.) The loose dirt falls away slowly. A few cubic crystals gleams a golden color.

Cloudy Quartz frowns. "This isn't gold," she says, disappointed, "This is pyrite, fool's gold. It won't sell for much."

The two sisters sigh. Marble looks at the sky and tells her family that it's time for a break.

"I wish Maud was here," Marble whispers to Pinkie as they head inside, "Or Dad. They would have known that it wasn't gold and saved us all that trouble."

Pinkie sniffs as she thinks of her father and her sister. She was careful not to let her mother hear. The explosion had been harder on her. -Line break- _Pinkie Pie had woken up in a white bed with white sheets. She looked around the room. A white machine with a black screen was showing a zigzagged line that was moving. The white curtains were pulled back, letting blinding sunlight into her eyes. Pinkie moved her leg and fell a tugging pain. She looked up. There were white pouches hanging from a white rack. They were connected to tubes, which were connected to needles stuck in Pinkie's front leg._

_Her first random thought: Why is everything white?_

_ "__How do you feel, Pinkie?" a soft voice with a British accent asked her._

_ "__Like I'm gonna be sick," the pink pony replied meekly. Then she noticed the white mare with the indigo mane. "Rarity! What happened?"_

_Rarity shifted uncomfortably and winced. Pinkie noticed that the unicorn's front leg was bandaged._

_ "__Well, you see…" _

_Rarity began to explain. It turned out that the fire in the kitchen did reach the explosives like Applejack said it would. The kitchen exploded, and because of the layer of petroleum on the walls, the flying pieces of wreckage started a giant fire. The fire reached other kitchens and they exploded as well. Most of the kitchen workers and labourers hadn't made it out. Mr. and Mrs. Cake hadn't._

_Pinkie panicked. The rest of her family were labourers!_

_ "__What happened to my family?" she asked quietly. She was afraid of the answer._

_Rarity looked down as if the bandages on her leg became suddenly interesting. "We know that your mother and your sister Marble made it," she said, "But we found your sisters Maud and Limestone's bodies. We don't know anything about your father yet."_

_Pinkie Pie felt like someone had taken her heart and ripped it in half. She could feel her mane deflating._

_ "__Big Mac?" someone croaked from her left. Pinkie turned her head and say Applejack. Her mane was mostly burned off, and she had casts on both her back legs._

_Rarity shook her head. "I'm sorry, Applejack," she said quietly._

_Pinkie looked around and noticed Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash on her right lying in beds similar to hers. Rainbow Dash seemed to be unconscious, but Fluttershy was awake, probably while Rarity was telling them what happened._

_ "__What happened to the Everfree?" Fluttershy asked._

_Rarity sighed. "Princess Celestia canceled the building of the city. Twilight checked the area out and said that nothing could ever grow there again."_

_The friends sat in mournful silence until one of the architects that once worked in Rarity's group came in and told Pinkie that her father was really dead. _

_Pinkie broke into tears, but her friends had not given her any sympathy, and she was grateful for that._

-Line break-

Pinkie shakes the memory aside. She looks at Marble, who was shedding silent tears now. Marble had lost her twin sister Limestone in the explosion. Pinkie has to be strong for the only family she has left.

"Marble," she says, stroking her older sister's hair, "do you wanna do some baking?" Marble nods and smiles.

Together they get out all the flour, butter, and eggs that they have (which aren't a lot, since there was that pesky shortage of food). The sugar is easy to get- they just make some of Maud's rock candy.

Pinkie has always enjoyed baking with her sister, even though they both know that the cake wouldn't be for them.

Every year during Canterlot Capital Week, every family in Equestria owning some land were expected to give the princesses some sort of present. Pinkie Pie had been the Cakes' apprentice from the time that she graduated from high school to the time of the Cakes' death; so naturally, she baked something for the princesses.

The sisters take out the pots and pans. Marble tends the oven while Pinkie starts to hum the song that she sang to Applebloom seven years ago. She wonders how her friends are doing now. She'd lost contact with them after the Pie family lost their rock farm.

_"__All you have to do is take a cup of flour…"_

******Ohh... cupcakes. Sorry, anyone I have scared with the reminder of that dark fan fiction.**

**Remember, never lead an Ursa Minor into Ponyville, to get a balloon for everypony in Ponyville is a hard thing to do, and never pull a tree trunk into your bedroom window!**

**Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, everyone! Wow! Yesterday 105 people read my story! I got 5 reviews. Not enough for a double update, but great nonetheless. **

**I had two requests to put some of your OCs into the story, and here's what I have to say: I will try to put as many your OCs in the stories as I can without changing the course of the story. The next ten (non-Mary Sue) OCs will get a speaking role in the story. The rest, well, I'll try to mention them.**

**No secret alicorn OCs, please! I already had one request for that. I can probably fit one secret alicorn into the story but I can't do more than that. Alicorn OCs in general, however, is fine. A pony can be born an alicorn but no secret alicorns! I'm sorry, I don't have anything against alicorns, but why would somepony hide the fact that they're an alicorn? I can come up with a few reasons, but none of them are very good ones. Sorry!**

**SM1:Don't worry, we'll get to the war very soon! But there's a few things I want to establish before the actual explosions and fighting starts.**

**Here's today's chapter: **

Twilight paces in her palace. In a few hours, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would come and take her to Canterlot for Canterlot Capital Week. She has her approved speech memorized forwards and backwards. (It wasn't that hard. Her part of the speeches is about what the princesses are doing to end the famine, and, if she had to be honest, they weren't doing much.)

"You okay, Twilight?" someone asks behind her.

Twilight jumps. She looks and smiles. It's her guard (and unofficial boyfriend) Flash Sentry.

"Oh, I'm fine," she replies, blushing, "I'm just so excited to be outside!"

Flash Sentry grins. "Well, enjoy your day outside! Just be careful in Los Pegasus. I heard that there's a flu epidemic going around."

Twilight nods. It's annoying, really, to rely on the guards for any information on the outside world. The guards always tell the truth and are always very specific, sure, but Twilight longed to go outside by herself. But Princess Celestia had passed a law four years ago saying that all royal and otherwise powerful ponies are to stay inside at all times unless given permission by Celestia herself. Twilight didn't like the law, but Celestia had written it, and Celestia knew best.

-Line break-

"Aunt Twily!" Skyla squeals in delight as she tackles her aunt in a hug.

"Heh, I missed you to, Skyla," Twilight giggles.

"Come on," Princess Celestia says with a chuckle, "It's time to go."

Twilight looks at the vast landscape of Canterlot. Their trip would start at Canterlot, and they'll go to Ponyville and Cloudsdale. Next they'll stop at Vanhoover and Tall Tale. After Tall Tale, they'll stop at Los Pegasus and go to Appleloosa. Then they'll visit Dodge City, Baltimare, Horseshoe Bay, Fillydelphia, Hollow Shades, and end in Manehattan.

She climbs onto the stage and takes a deep breath. Hopefully she remembers her speech.

-Line break-

"Citizens of Equestria," Princess Celestia begins, "I am honored to stand here, once again, on the fifth anniversary of the Great Explosion, and to see that my loyal subjects have not yet given up on hope.

"I am aware that many of you think that the disaster is the worst thing that will ever happen to Equestria. But maybe, if we work together and have hope, it will be the best. Maybe this is just a test set up by fate to test our friendship, as well as a reminder that Canterlot would always be the capital of our land.

"Don't despair, ponies. Instead, rejoice. If we pass this test, then Equestria will surely be something." She smiles and chants, "The Solar Empire- for honor, for victory, for a brighter tomorrow."

Luna scowls and grabs the microphone.

"Luna, it's my turn," Twilight whispers, confused. Did Luna forget the order?

"No, Twilight," the princess of the night replies quietly.

"Citizens of Equestria!" she says into the microphone, "I know what you are all going through. Just over three weeks ago, I met two starving young foals whose parents were killed by Celestia."

The crowd gasps. Twilight looks at Princess Celestia. Said princess steps forward to take the microphone.

Luna steps aside, still holding onto the microphone. "Celestia made the decision to build the new capital by herself. The rest of us had no say in it. It's time to change that.

"If you ponies let me rule, I will form a democracy. Everypony may have a say in the decisions we make. None of you will be forced to join me, but everypony that want to, raise your hoof. I will take all of you to a safe place. If we win, then I will make sure that nothing like the Great Explosion will ever happen again.

"It's time to rebel against the tyranny of the Solar Empire. Join me in the Lunar Republic-for the glory of night."

"Shoot!" Celestia screams

The guards take out their guns and point them at Princess Luna. Twilight stares in horror. Is Celestia really going to let them shoot her sister?

Luna flies up, just avoiding several bullets.

"Raise your hooves!" she yells.

More than two-thirds of the ponies raise their hooves. Luna engulfs them in indigo magic, and the ponies are gone.

-Line break-

"What just happened?" Skyla asks Twilight and Cadence.

They are back at Celestia's palace. Celestia is shooting beams of magic at anything that Luna owned, while the Twilight and the other princesses are chatting and eating lunch.

"I believe Luna has just declared a war on the Solar Empire," Cadence answers.

"That no-good, rotten waste of alicorn magic!" Celestia mutters, disintegrating a blue velvet chair.

"Calm down, Aunt Tia," Cadence says, rolling her eyes, "She's still your sister."

"No she isn't," Celestia says wrathfully, "No sister of mine breaks my rules and starts a revolution. I knew it! She's been going out and giving food to other ponies. This is the exact sort of thing I hoped I'd stop when I made that rule. Some random homeless pony would give her the idea to rebel. Hadn't she learned her lesson the first time?"

Twilight takes a bite of her scone. She feels guilty. If what Luna said was true, then there are foals starving in the streets. It feels wrong to eat something when she's not even that hungry when foals are starving and getting nothing to eat.

"What are we gonna do about the war?" Twilight asks.

Celestia glares out the window. Her eyes glittered with malice. "We are going to fight back, Twilight Sparkle. We are going to make sure that Luna regrets what she's done."

Cadence and Skyla look at each other uncertainly, but Twilight nods. She will fight if she has to. She doesn't like it, but Celestia has ordered it.

And Celestia knows best.

**Yes, I did just reference Tangled. (Don't hurt me...)**

**See, SM1? Luna has declared war and Celestia's going to fight! The war has begun! (Well, not officially, there's still the problem of soldiers and the ponies in other towns that want to join Luna.)**

**Remember, never sit on Apple teeny, pay attention when Pinkie Pie asks for a trombone, and never let Twilight make birds' nests!**

**Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi everyone! Sorry for not posting in the last few days. My dad decided to take our family on a trip to some random place for some reason.**

**SM1: It's gonna be hard to make your OC close with Twilight and Rarity, but I'll see what I can do.**

**chipmunkfanantic: I can include Archangel, but I can't include your other OC. Sorry, no princesses. **

**Mlplover12345: Maybe not everypony. Remember that there are ponies that aren't starving and doesn't care about the future of Equestria as long as they get what they want.**

**Anyway, here's today's chapter:**

Luna appears on a cold, windy desert, along with thousands of other ponies.

Yes! Her spell worked!

"What is this place?" a mare asks.

"Ponies," Luna says with a small smile, "welcome to the Moon."

"How are we not suffocating or freezing to death?" a mare asks.

"I put a layer of oxygen here," Luna answers.

"The _Moon_?" a stallion exclaims, "You said you were gonna bring us somewhere safe!"

"This place is safe," Luna replies as she heads to the direction of the place she hoped was still there. "Follow me."

-Line break-

About ten minutes later, Luna's palace appears on the horizon.

"Everypony," she says, "welcome to my castle."

"H-how?" a filly asks.

Luna smiles bitterly. "When you're trapped on the moon for a thousand years, you'd have time to build a place to live."

-Line break-

The palace was pretty big when Luna was living there by herself, but now, with more than five thousand ponies, it seems cramped.

The palace was only about half the size of her home in Canterlot. It had three towers, a kitchen, and a library. There was a giant garden beside the palace, which can grow a variety of crops. (The dirt on the Moon was surprisingly fertile.)

"Well, I have to make this place bigger," Luna tells the ponies, "but meanwhile, you'll have to just stay here. It's gonna be cramped, but nopony's gonna spy on you."

"If we want to win this war, then we'll have to get organized. Everypony between the age of sixteen and fifty may fight. It looks like there aren't too many of you that are of that age, though, so we'll need a bigger army. Tomorrow I'll go to other cities and gain more support. Most of my guards should be here by next week.

"In two weeks, we'll start training. Those of you who aren't of age, you will be expected to make yourselves useful."

"Wait a minute," a stallion says, "We came here so we wouldn't get shot by Celestia's guards for no good reason. Some of us don't want to fight in your silly war!"

Luna faces the stallion, "I said that ponies that are of age _may_ fight," she says calmly, "Nopony says that you have to. If you are perfectly capable of lending a hoof in this 'silly war' but you choose not to, that's your choice.

"Everypony is welcome to stay here with me, as long as they promise not to betray us. You may participate in this war, or you may not. Either way, you'll be welcomed here. If you don't want to fight, sir, then you may just stay as a refugee, as long as you promise that you'll be loyal to me. Well?"

The stallion takes a step back, "I promise that I'll be loyal to you, but I might not fight."

"That's fine with me," Luna replies. "Everypony, find a place to sleep for tonight. There is food in the garden. I have to expand the castle."

Luna steps outside and tries to remember the spell she used a thousand years ago. The dirt shapes themselves into bricks and form into walls. Hours later, she has added several giant rooms, each big enough for more than a hundred ponies to be moderately comfortable in.

_Now to expand the garden…_

-Line break-

The next day, Luna teleports into an alleyway in Hollow Shades. She knows that Celestia wouldn't arrive that day. Besides, the ponies in small towns like this would be more likely to join her first.

Luna closes her eyes and concentrates. The guards near her collapses one by one. The passing ponies stop and look at the sleeping guards curiously.

She pulls the hood of her hood back and approaches the ponies. Several of them scowl at her. Apparently it's not just ponies in Canterlot that hate royalty.

"Ponies of Hollow Shades, I am not here for Canterlot Capital week, but to gain your support. I understand that many of you have been struck by the tragedy of the Great Explosion. Celestia has prevented me from coming out and helping you. Now that I am free, I plan to stop the tyrant that is Celestia."

She explains her plan to the large crowd that has gathered around her. With each sentence, more and more ponies stop and listen. When she asks the ponies to raise their hooves so she can take them away, almost all of the ponies do.

When they appear on the Moon, Luna wonders how the guards react when they wake up and find most of the town gone. It makes her feel sorry for the ponies that had chosen to stay behind. Knowing Celestia, they'd probably torture the ponies and question them.

_They've made their choice._ Luna thinks. She'd given all the ponies an offer to escape the famine. Some ponies stayed loyal to the Sun, so whatever comes after for them would be none of Luna's concern.

-Line break-

A week later, Luna is collecting all the full sign-up sheets for the war. She's surprised at how many ponies have signed up. She still needs to visit a few more cities, though.

Even though she has a reasonably big army, Luna worries that Celestia will best her at strategy. Twilight Sparkle is probably going to fight for Celestia, so if Luna wants to win, she'll have to improve on her strategic skills.

"Excuse me," a tiny voice squeaks from behind her.

Luna turns around. A crowd of fillies and colts are looking at her.

"Hi, Princess Luna," a filly that looked about twelve years old says, I'm Nightingale. And this is my brother Meadowlark." She gestures to a colt that looked about six. "We want to do something in the war. All of us do. But we're too young to join the army. What can we do to help?"

Luna looks at the foals. Many of them look like they have strong hooves, and the ones that don't look like they have sharp eyes and sturdy grips.

Luna smiles and says to the foals, "If you had to choose just one, what job would you do?

**Luna has a castle on the Moon for when she was banished there. That's a theory I've always had. Hey, if I had to be on the Moon for a thousand years. I would find something to do.**

**Remember, never try ultra-pony-rollerblading unless you're 100% sure that that's your talent, Twilight is not an egghead, and Hoity Toity likes to hang around Ponyville doing nothing even though he's a famous fashion designer and all.**

**Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi everyone! I had writer's block yesterday, so I didn't post. How about I set up a post date for every chapter? I just want you guys to know that I'm not going to post as much once school starts. I hate homework.**

**chipmunkfanantic: Alright, those OC's sound good, but not all of the mane 6 is going to join Luna. But can your 2nd OC just be a changeling that lost his horn? Because I'm not sure how a pony is able to have the powers of a changeling.**

**Everyone, there is still 6 more positions in the sign-up sheet if you want your OC to get a speaking role. Submit your characters quickly!**

**Here's today's chapter:**

Rarity drags herself into her house and closes the door. Her back hurts like crazy after sixteen hours of sewing seams at a clothing factory. But she can't rest now. Sweetie Belle would soon be back from the mill, so she needs to get ready.

-Line break-

"Rarity!" Sweetie Belle shouts as she enters the house, "I'm home!"

Rarity steps out from her room and hugs her sister. Then she gives her a small box.

"Happy Sweet Sixteen, little sis," she says, smiling.

Sweetie Belle grins excitedly and opens the tiny box. She gasps.

"Wow, Rarity," Sweetie Belle exclaims, "is that real chocolate?"

Rarity nods. "I managed to convince one of Twilight's guards to smuggle some for you."

"Thank you, Rarity; this is the best present ever!" Sweetie Belle cries happily, giving her sister a big hug.

-Line break-

The next day is a Sunday, so the sisters gets the day off. Sweetie Belle goes to hang out with Scootaloo and Applebloom, while Rarity mends the ripped clothing that she was paid by other ponies to fix.

She looks out the window and wonders about the strange things that had happened around Equestria lately.

Just yesterday, she had heard that half the ponies in Trottingham were kidnapped by Princess Luna. Celestia said that Luna declared a war on Equestria, so everypony over sixteen must join the army by the Summer Solstice, which is a month from now.

Rarity doesn't know what to believe. She hadn't really known Princess Luna before, so maybe she would kidnap ponies against their will. But Rarity knows for a fact that this wouldn't the first time Celestia has lied on the news.

-Line break-

"Rarity," Sweetie Belle says a few hours later, bringing a six-year-old red colt inside, "Applejack wants us to watch Crabapple for a few hours. She and Cheerilee have got work in the farm and Applebloom and Scootaloo have to fix a car."

"Alright," Rarity replies, "you can take Crabapple on a walk if you want."

Crabapple is Big Macintosh and Cheerilee's only child. The reason Cheerilee didn't go and work on the new capital was because she was pregnant with Crabapple. When Cheerilee heard about her husband's death, she went depressed for months until Crabapple was born.

Rarity has always joked to Applejack that the Crabapple's emerald -green eyes and flowing orange mane would turn some heads someday, but her friend just shook her head and told Rarity not to give Crabapple any ideas.

-Line break-

An hour later, there is shouting out side. Rarity looked out her window to see what's going on. A mob of ponies are heading the direction of the Town Square.

"What's going on?" she asks them.

"We heard that the Princess is making a speech," a mare replied.

Rarity sets down the blouse she was repairing and hurries to the Town Square. When Princess Celestia is making a speech, everypony is required to listen. Anypony staying home would be shot on sight.

When Rarity gets there, however, she sees that all the guard are asleep, and the princess making the speech isn't Celestia, but her sister.

"-nopony would be shot or punished in any way for doing harmless things like protesting or criticizing the actions of the government," Luna is saying. "I will form a democracy. That means everypony will have a say in the government. I had no say in the building of the new capital, neither did any of you. I will make sure that nothing like that ever happens again.

"If you join me, I will not force any of you into fighting for me, like Celestia has. Instead, I ask for nothing from you except your sworn alliance.

"I will provide for you a warm, clean place to live and enough food and water. I will provide you jobs that have eight-hour shifts, unlike your twelve-hour ones here.

"Join me, ponies. Raise your hooves if you want a better future, and I'll take you away."

Rarity didn't hear Luna's entire speech, but she has a pretty clear understanding of what she is going to do.

Somewhere that ponies can be safe, have food, water, a decent shelter, and good jobs. Plus nopony would force her to fight.

There won't be another building of a new capital. Nopony would die like both of Rarity's parents ever again.

A few ponies ahead of her, a mare with a white coat and a curly mane raised her hoof-Sweetie Belle.

A yellow hoof and an orange one go up. Another orange one, a purple one, and a small, red hoof.

Rarity doesn't hesitate. She raises her hoof along with more than half the ponies of Ponyville.

Luna's horn glows, and one lurching feeling later, Rarity finds herself on a cold, dark, desert.

-Line break-

Two weeks later, Rarity is gathering up the courage to sign up for the Lunar Army.

_Come on, Rarity. You want to contribute to this place, don't you? If you don't help them, Celestia might win the war, and you'll have to go back!_

Rarity has gotten used to the ways things run here in the Lunar War Base. The guards assigned a giant room for her, Sweetie Belle, the Apple family, and several other ponies Rarity didn't know very well to live in.

They've gotten enough to eat, so now Rarity can go through her entire day without that empty feeling in her stomach.

She has a job sewing blankets and articles of clothing for the ponies in the war base, except now Rarity only works for eight hours, and her back has stopped hurting.

She wants to help the ponies that helped her, so why is it so hard to take the pen that was hanging from the sign-up sheet and sign her name on that gridded piece of parchment?

"Excuse me." A pink earth pony mare with a straight magenta mane takes the pen in her mouth (Rarity is glad that she could use magic) and signs her name on the sheet.

_Pinkamena Diane Pie._

Wait…

"Pinkie?" Rarity exclaims.

Pinkie looks over in surprise and grins, "Rarity! You're here too? How's Sweetie Belle? Have you seen the others lately? Tell me everything." The pink mare's mane inflated into its curly form.

Rarity beams. "I decided to join Luna, so did Sweetie Belle and the Apple family. So far, it seems to be a pretty good choice. Did your family join as well?"

Pinkie nods. "I was the last one of my family to join the army. Mom and Marble joined as soon as we got here three weeks ago." Her expression darkened for a moment, and then she smiled. "Are you gonna sign up? I hear the soldiers would get an extra two grams of dessert when they're not in Equestria fighting."

Rarity hesitates. Pinkie's smile is warm and friendly, but her eyes seem to say: _I want you to sign up. If you don't, then you're a traitor to us. Decide now._

Rarity levitates the pen with her magic and signs her name on the parchment in perfect handwriting. She doesn't regret her actions.

"I'm right after you, Pinkie," she says proudly, "Now how about that dessert?"

**Horray for dessert!**

**Remember, never go to Froggy Bottom Bog, never fly too close to the Sun if you have butterfly wings, and Cockatrices are awesome!**

**The next chapter will be posted on August 12th.**

**Review!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi everyone! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry that I couldn't update! I was really busy for the last two days and I just didn't have time. I'll try to make it up by posting a double update today.**

**I've gone my story and it seems that I can probably fit ten more OCs in. Can some of you give me some OCs that ****aren't**** with Luna?**

**Also, I've got another request for a royal OC. How about I put some rules for OC submission here?**

**1. Your OC must be a pony, a zebra, or a changeling.**

**2. No princesses/princes. (Your OC can, however, be a distant relative of the princesses. Like a cousin or something.)**

**3. Your OC must have a reason as to why they haven't been mentioned in the show before. For example, Skyla wasn't in the show because she wasn't born yet. Nightingale wasn't in the show because she wasn't one of the characters. But alicorn princess would have mentioned some time in the show. I don't want to pull A Canterlot Wedding on you guys. It kind of spoils the story.**

**4. If your OC has a special power that isn't related to his/her race, then there has to be a good reason for that. For example, Twilight was able to go Dragonball-Z on Tirek in the Season 4 finale because the other princesses gave her their magic.**

**5. Have fun submitting!**

**Here's the first chapter for today: **

Crabapple takes his lunch tray and looks for an empty table. If there isn't one, he'll have to eat with his family on one of the Soldier Tables. He hates how those adults at the tables would mess up his already messy mane and squeeze his cheeks, calling him cute. But he doesn't want to sit around the ponies his age.

He sees an empty table in the corner of the cafeteria. Yes! Crabapple dashes towards the table.

_Slam!_

"Hey, watch it, you little freak!" a mare about sixteen or seventeen snarls at him.

The mare is pink with a lavender colored mane. Crabapple can't tell if the white streaks in the mare's mane are natural or dyed on. Beside her, a grey mare with a light grey mane done up in a braid giggles.

"Sorry," Crabapple mutters, "I just wanted to get to that table."

"No, you don't," the pink mare says quietly. "This is our table, so back off, you dumb little orphan!"

"Excuse me, what are you doing?" a voice says behind him.

A bright yellow colt with a band of black on his neck approaches the mares. Crabapple remembers him as one of the foals his age in the farming division.

The pink mare turns. "I'm just telling this little freak to back off. Why should you care? You're no better than him. You're just one of the homeless orphans who are dumb enough to help with this stupid war!"

A hoof gently pushes Crabapple aside. An older filly that looks about twelve glare at the two mares.

"I suppose we are dumb enough to help with this stupid war," she says calmly, "But I think that some of us have good reasons to help. But if you watched your mother get killed by Celestia and starved on the streets for months, you'd help the pony who gave you a safe place to live.

"We are the ones that made the food that you're planning to eat today. We are the ones who cleaned your living compartments this morning. We are the ones that made the clothing you currently have in your closet, and the blankets that you sleep with. But if you don't like what we do, then I guess we won't do them for you."

The mare rolls her eyes. "Wow," she says sarcastically, "inspiring speech. But who's gonna back you up?"

A white unicorn filly with a long red and black mane steps up. "I will," she says.

Two cream-colored ponies that looks like twins (except that the colt is a pegasus and the filly is a unicorn) steps up. "We will," they say in unison.

About fifty or so foals step up. The two mares' eyes widen.

"W-well who do you think you ponies are? You have no right to interfere with our business!" the grey mare stutters.

"And _you_ have no right to insult our mother," the unicorn with the long mane says.

Crabapple looks at the yellow colt confusedly. Didn't the mares just point out that the foals are orphans?

"As for your first question," the filly that pushed Crabapple aside says with a mischievous grin, "we are Luna's children. The Children of the Night!"

-Line break-

"Do you wanna have lunch with us?" the yellow colt asked Crabapple.

Said foal hesitates. The group of foals that calls themselves the Children of the Night seems kind, standing up to those mares and all, but really, Crabapple is painfully shy. He hates being the center of attention. But the foals have done him a favor, and it would be nice not to get his cheeks pinched by adults at the Soldier Tables.

"Yeah," he says, "sure."

The Children of the Night, as Crabapple finds out, actually have over a hundred members. He spends most of the lunch hour trying to remember names. Moonbeam, Pound, Pumpkin, Cinnamon-the only names he can remember well is Meadowlark, the six-year-old colt that invited him for lunch, Nightingale, the twelve-year-old sister of Meadowlark, and Libraria, (yeah, she's named after a library) the thirteen-year-old filly that has a floor-length black and red mane and piercing red eyes.

"Don't worry, Crabapple," Meadowlark whispers to his guest, "I don't remember all these names either. Just don't address these ponies by name. Nopony needs to know."

"Crabapple," Nightingale asks, her mouth full of mashed potato, "I know that you have a mom, but how would like to be one of us? Princess Luna would be your honorary mother. You would be a Child of the Night."

Crabapple wonders about this for a second. These foals are the nicest ponies he'd ever met. Plus, it's always very boring at the Soldier tables. He has no friends there his age. Maybe, if Crabapple accepted this invitation, he'd get some good friends.

"Alright," he says, grinning at Meadowlark, who grinned back, "I'm in."

-Line break-

The initiation ceremony, as Crabapple is told, doesn't happen for another week. During that time, fillies and colts that want to help with the war (and there are a lot of them) ask Nightingale, which apparently is the leader of the huge group, for permission to join. Most of the foals get accepted.

When the day finally arrives, Meadowlark stands with about twenty other foals in one of the giant living compartments. It's very crowded, since most members-and Princess Luna-come to watch.

A foal that's about fourteen (Crabapple tries to recall his name- Clock Music?) taps lightly on a homemade drum-a wire hoop with parchment spread over it.

"Hello, everypony," Nightingale says. "Today, we will accept new ponies that will honor our mother, Princess Luna. They will become members-in-training, and in a week, if they prove to be faithful enough, they will become our siblings. They will become true Children of the Night!

Crabapple panics. What if he _doesn't_ prove to be faithful enough? If they accept him as a member-in-training and he messes something up, what would they do? What would _Princess Luna _do?

Nightingale takes out a scroll. Meadowlark has told Crabapple that the scroll has all the names of the new ponies written down in alphabetical order according to last names. Since Crabapple's last name starts with an A, he will be one of the first ponies to go up.

"Crabapple Apple!" Nightingale reads. A few ponies snicker at his name. Crabapple blushes. Why did his mother have to name him after that particular fruit? Ponies always laugh when they hear his full name.

Crabapple steps up nervously.

"Do you pledge yourself to Princess Luna, to accept her as your honorary mother, to be loyal to her for always?" Nightingale asks.

"I do," he replies.

Nightingale hands Crabapple a scarf with a silver crescent moon on it. "Welcome, Crabapple," she says, "You will be a member-in-training. We will teach you how to fight for when you are old enough to join the army. You will also learn the etiquette of being a Child of the Night. If you pass, you will become a true member next week."

Crabapple nods and goes back to stand with the new foals. He hopes that he isn't trembling as much as he thinks he is. He sees Meadowlark winking at him from the other side of the room.

_Good job._ Meadowlark mouths.

Crabapple smiles and nods. His smile grows bigger as he thinks about the possibility of the new friendship he's made.

**I just established the Children of the Night. (Come, little children...)**

**Don't worry, the action is going to start next chapter. Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnn...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Finally, it's finished! I told you I'd get you guys a double update today.**

**ZeldatheWarriorPrincess: I can't tell you yet. That would spoil the story. However, four of the Mane 6 has already sided with somepony. You just have to make a prediction of who the other two would side with. It's not hard, really.**

**SM1: Your welcome!**

**Here's the second chapter for today:**

Luna stares at the map of the city where she once lived in.

She and her generals are setting up a plan for their first attack on Canterlot. Just yesterday, enough ponies signed up for the Lunar Army for them to not get crushed as soon as they enter the battlefield.

"We go at night," one of Luna's generals, Orion, suggests, "The shortest route is when the moon is up. We'll fly our planes straight to the castle and drop a bomb there."

"I agree," another general, Bellatrix, says, "We attack from the back of the castle. Get most of the army there."

Luna nods. It seems like a good plan. They have developed airtight planes for the army to fly down to Equestria without having ponies dying from the vacuum of space and the lack of oxygen. They have also developed a very powerful bomb. Celestia wouldn't stand a chance.

They have to attack soon, though. Luna knows that Celestia is looking for her. Celestia probably hadn't suspected yet that Luna is hiding on the Moon, due to the younger princess's one thousand years on the celestial body, but it was only a matter of time before she did.

The only reason that the Lunar Army has grown this big is the fact that Celestia doesn't know where they are. And as big as Luna's army is, Celestia's would probably be even bigger. Even though Luna has more than half of Equestria's population in her war base, most of the ponies are either too young or too old to fight. Meanwhile, Celestia would have the strong adult mares and stallions that couldn't care less about the famine as long as they got whatever they wanted.

"Don't do that," a filly says. Luna looks behind her. A twelve-year-old filly is looking at the map, leaning on her broom.

Luna recognizes her as Nightingale, the filly in the sanitation division that started the group called The Children of the Night. She had confronted Luna with the idea a month ago. Naturally, Luna had agreed. And since Nightingale was the founder of the group, she was elected leader as well. They had lengthily conversations during the initiation ceremonies.

Nightingale is usually cheerful and sarcastic, and her smirks always seem to tell ponies to not trust her around matches or anything sharp. But now, she has none of those qualities. Instead, a deep frown is spread across her face as she studied the map.

"Don't go at night," she says, still looking at the map, "Celestia is sure to have guards on the lookout. What do you think she'll think when she sees an army coming down from the Moon? She'll find the war base. Go into the mountains at night. Then, when it's daytime, attack.

"Don't drop a bomb. I've seen how powerful the bombs are. "If you drop one on the castle, it's gonna kill everypony within a 5-mile radius. And you promised not to let anything like the Great Explosion happen again.

"Don't attack from behind. Believe me. It's the oldest trick in the book. Celestia knows that. I've stared at the castle since I was ten. There's always less guards near the entrance than at the back of the castle.

"Don't get most of the army in one place. Have some ponies distract the guards by attacking on another weak spot," Nightingale pointed to the left side of the castle, "I would recommend there. Then, take the front while the guards are distracted."

Luna's generals stare at Nightingale.

"What?" the filly asks amusedly. She snickers, "You should see the looks on your faces." She bursts out laughing.

"I'm usually not one to be direct," General Tranquility says, "but that kid is a genius."

"Yeah, I guess I am," Nightingale says proudly.

The generals look at Luna. She knows that if she agrees to the plan, then that's what they will do. They might win the battle, or lose it. And Luna would be responsible for it.

Luna gulps and smiles. "Let's do this," she declares, "We attack tomorrow."

-Line break-

Luna straps on the piece of armour that's supposed to protect her back. Today they will attack the place that was her home for seven years. And Luna is supposed to lead it.

"Are you ready, princess?" a mare named Cheerilee (one of her Children of the Nights' mother, Luna recalls) asks.

Is she ready? Luna had never really been the leader of anything big. It's always been Celestia. If something was successful, the ponies would praise Celestia while Luna watched in the shadows. But if something went wrong, like the explosion five years ago, Celestia would be to blame. Can Luna really take on that responsibility, even after all that had happened in the last two months?

Luna hesitates, and then she puts on her helmet.

"Yeah," she replies, "Let's pay my sister a family visit."

**Uh-oh. Celestia isn't going to like this. I just hope she doesn't start sprouting *ahem* colourful language.**

**Remember, you use your stomachs to digest-ia, mules are ugly (at least according to Rarity), and Pinkie Pie likes chewy apples!**

**Review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi everyone! In case you were wondering, no, I did not get writer's block. I decided to be mean and let you guys speculate on what's gonna happen with the battle. (Don't hurt me...)**

**SM1: Yeah, Libraria isn't going to fight in ****this**** battle, but she's thirteen. If the war lasts for more than three years, she is going on the battlefield. :(**

**Here's today's chapter:**

Celestia paces around in the throne room while Cadence, Skyla, and Twilight watch. It's been two months, and her generals still haven't found Luna's hideout.

Somepony knocks on the door.

"Come in," Celestia says to the messenger. Hopefully the last expedition into the White Tail Woods had been successful.

The messenger approaches Celestia cautiously. The princess rolls her eyes. It was just that one messenger she threw in the dungeon. He'd given Celestia bad news, and he hadn't even groveled or said sorry.

"Y-your majesty," the messenger stutters, "I'm so sorry! The expedition to western White Tail Woods failed. Luna isn't hiding there." The messenger falls to his knees and begs Celestia for forgiveness.

Celestia smiles. This pony knows his manners. But they still haven't found Luna's hideout. Luna knows where Celestia is, that's for sure, but unless Celestia knows where Luna is, she can't attack. Meanwhile, when Luna attacks, her army will be ready with the advantage of surprise.

Celestia orders the messenger to leave, which the pony seems a bit too happy about.

"Aunt Tia," Cadence says, "maybe Luna was just gloating. Maybe she just wanted a kingdom of her own to rule. Now that she has what she wants, maybe she isn't really going to start a war."

Celestia shakes her head. Sometimes her niece can be a bit thick. "Even if she doesn't start a war, I will still punish her for breaking my rules. I'll make her and everypony who followed her miserable for the rest of their short lives!"

Just then, the princesses hear a boom and the castle starts shaking. A guard rushes in.

"Princesses!" he cries, "There's an army attacking the castle's left wing!"

Celestia says something that makes Twilight gasp and Cadence cover Skyla's ears. "You were saying, Mi Amore Cadenza?" Celestia hisses. She looks at the guard. "Get as many ponies there as you can. We'll get fighting soon enough."

The guard nods and takes off.

Celestia races to the weapons storage room, followed by Twilight and Cadence. She throws open the door and pulls out three AK47's. She gives a gun to each of the princesses, and sprints to the palace courtyard.

The battle doesn't look too good. There are midnight blue airplanes circling the courtyard, firing bullets at the Solar Empire soldiers. Every once in a while, ten to twenty ponies dressed in camouflage drops down from the planes and join the fight. Bodies are strewn everywhere.

Celestia shoots down a few ponies. Nopony is watching her. Good.

She backs into the palace and heads to the front courtyard. Luna is after her. She needs to get away as soon as she can. Celestia knows that Luna wouldn't attack the front of the palace. Only an idiot would do that.

She heads out the door and freezes. An army in camouflage is looking at her menacingly.

"Hello, Tia," Luna says with a grin, "I hope you like our prison cells."

Celestia raises her gun and fires a bullet at Luna. Instead of entering her body, the bullet simply bounces off Luna's chest. The blue alicorn laughs.

"Oh, forgot to tell you," she says, "Bullet-proof armor. It was invented by my friend Clashing Blades. You know, we could end this war right here if you just agree to have a democracy."

"Never!" Celestia snarls, "I'd like to keep my power, thank you very much."

Luna pouts and looks at Celestia regretfully. "Very well, then," she says quietly, "capture her!"

Celestia flies into the air. Several other pegasi follows her. The princess flies in random directions. Several bullets come at her, and a few grazes her wings and legs. Celestia has a sinking feeling that the soldiers aren't trying to kill her. If they are, she'd be dead by now.

Cadence and a few other Solar Empire soldiers rush into the front courtyard. Celestia sighs in relief and dodges three more bullets.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Celestia screams, "Help me!"

Cadence scowls at her aunt. She fires a bullet at one of the Lunar Republic soldiers' guns.

Celestia shoots down a pegasus. Another grabs her back leg. The princess screams and shoots the pony in the eye. He falls.

Suddenly, there's a bang, and Celestia feels a warm liquid drip down her back. Then she's plummeting through the air. She tries to flap her wings, and a sharp pain stab through her body.

The princess of the Sun lands on her face. When she looks up, a hundred or so ponies are looking at her with stone faces. One unicorn steps up, levitating a nylon rope.

The blood loss makes the world spin. Celestia sees a flash of metal, and grabs for it. Suddenly, she has her gun. She aims for the unicorn's head, but misses and hits the pony's hoof. The unicorn screams in pain.

Celestia stumbles to the entrance of the palace. One of her guards accompanies her to the sick bay.

In the distance, Celestia hears Cadence cry. It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if her ungrateful niece dies, it doesn't matter if anypony dies. As long as it's not Celestia herself, it's fine.

"Hold still, I'll do something about your wing," the guard says, "It's gonna hurt, okay?"

Celestia nods and grits her teeth. Pain explodes into her back, and she's a second away from telling the guard to put himself in the dungeon.

A few agonizing minutes later, the guard is done. He tells Celestia to stay here, which the princess is more than happy to do, and goes off to fight the battle.

**Yes! I pulled off a Celestia chapter! **

**Don't be upset if I start posting new chapters less frequently. School is starting soon, and there's gonna be less time for me to write. I heard there's going to be more homework in seventh grade.**

**Remember, apple pies are badass weapons, Philomena is a troll, and never try pony zip-lining unless you're ready to clean up tree sap!**

**Review!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi everyone! Guess what I just read for the 7th time? The Mark of Athena! **

**(I know, it has nothing to do with this fanfic. Sue me.)**

**SM1: Twilight's in this chapter! **

**Here it is, folks:**

"But Mom, I wanna help!" Skyla whines.

Cadence sighs. "Skyla, you can't fight. I can't let you hurt yourself. You stay with Kayla and don't get in the way. If they come in, run."

"Come on, Cadence!" Celestia's voice calls from down the hall.

Cadence looks at Kayla. The servant nods.

The battle in the left courtyard is a horrible sight. Dark blue airplanes are circling around, shooting the Solar Empire soldiers. Ponies in camouflage and cerulean armor would drop down from the planes once in a while to join the fight.

Most of the soldiers in the Canterlot war base are in the left courtyard. However, there seems to be only one Lunar Republic soldier to every three Solar Empire soldiers. Cadence has a suspicious feeling about this attack. Surely Luna either has more than that many soldiers, or was smart enough to wait until she has enough ponies to attack.

Speaking of Luna, where is she? Cadence knows that Luna wouldn't just send her army to fight. She'd attack along with them.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cadence sees Celestia slip back into the palace. Before she could go after her aunt, however, an earth pony aims a gun at Cadence. She shoots the pony in his leg, careful not to kill him.

Behind her, Twilight sobs, "Rarity, why?" Cadence looks back. A white unicorn in camouflage and blue armour points a gun at Twilight. Underneath her helmet, Cadence sees Rarity's expression. It isn't anger, or hatred, but regret.

Twilight's expression hardens and she shoots Rarity in the chest, but the bullet bounces off.

Cadence looks at Twilight. "Bullet-proof armour," they say together.

Twilight curses and shoots the Lunar Republic soldiers in whatever bare skin is exposed.

Cadence hears a scream in the front courtyard, followed by several gunshots and more screaming.

"It's a diversion," Cadence tells Twilight, whose eyes widen, "Come on!"

She, Twilight, and several other Solar empire soldiers rush to the front courtyard. Several pegasi are chasing Celestia into the air. Cadence shoots a pegasus in her leg.

Somepony slams into her, and for a few seconds, all Cadence can see are stars. When the stars disappear, she can see that Luna has her pinned down.

"Aunt Luna, please," Cadence pleads, choking a little and crying, "stop this battle. We can negotiate. I don't like Celestia's rule, either, but war is not the answer!"

Luna hesitates. Cadence hopes that Luna can remember the friendly and reasonable niece that she always went to the Canterlot Archives with and listen.

Luna loosens her grip, just a little. "Tell me what you plan on doing, Cadence, and we'll see." A group of Lunar Republic has approached them, guns raised. "Don't hurt her unless she tries to hurt you," Luna commands. The ponies listen.

"We can form protests. Ponies won't go to work. Then Celestia would only have the choice of relenting." Cadence suggests.

One of the ponies scoffs, "We tried that before, and Celestia had her guards shoot us. Not gonna work."

"Well, I'll let war refugees stay at my palace. If you want to discuss things with me, just come to the Crystal Empire. We'll try to stop the war and save as many lives as we can. You can have meetings with us; the Peace Corp. Stop the war, peace is the answer."

Luna's expression is impossible to read. "I see what I can do," she tells her niece. Then she looks up and yells, "Lunar army, retreat!"

Ponies hop onto the dozens of giant airplanes and disappear into the afternoon sky.

-Line break-

"Come on, Skyla," Cadence says to her daughter, "we're going home."

"What did you say, Mi Amore?" Celestia asks sharply. She is lying on a bed in the sick bay. Her wing is bandaged due to the bullet she received in it.

"I said, we're going home," Cadence replies, shoving her crown in a bag. She would have no need for it on the voyage back to the crystal empire. "I'm tired of fighting and listening to you rant about how my favorite aunt is the most horrible pony in the world."

Skyla, Kayla, and Cadence's own personal servant, Oceanstar, approaches timidly and stands beside Cadence, wisely not making a sound.

"You may not go," Celestia growls venomously, "You will stay here and fight for me. You will do what you're told to do, and you will accept the fact that Luna is no longer your aunt."

"It's always about you, isn't it, Celestia," Cadence sneers, dropping a bottle of water into her backpack, "I will go back and come again when you've returned to your senses."

Celestia's eyes smolders with hatred. "You do not want the Sun as your enemy," she says quietly.

Cadence rolls her eyes. "You are not the Sun, Celestia," she retorts, "you simply control it, and anypony can do that."

-Line break-

Cadence casts her spell on several more posters. They would advertise her Peace Corp. The special spells on the posters would make sure that they cannot be taken off.

"Is the fifth batch ready?" her friend (and maid) Oceanstar asks.

Cadence nods. "Tell the guards to put them in Tall Tale," she orders.

Cadence smiles. She hopes that ponies can soon come to her.

**Yay, the Peace Corp! I personally pefer the Lunar Republic, but the Peace Corp is great as well. Do you know where the rest of the Maned 6 will go now, ZeldatheWarriorPrincess?**

**Remember, never chuck greek fire down a Skolopendra's throat unless you know that Camp Fish-Blood is somewhere near, Jason Grace hates Wonder Bread, and Team Leo for the win!**

**Review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi everyone! Sorry that I didn't post in the last few days. School is starting on Tuesday and until I get used to the new skedules (which is going to take about a week) I probably won't have time to post a lot. I feel really guilty, so here's a double update today!**

**SM1: Sure thing! I already have a chapter planned out for him!**

**ZeldatheWarriorPrincess: You'll see... (grins wickedly)**

**Anyways, here's today's chapter:**

Fluttershy stumbles falls on a cloud, bringing about a dozen other soldiers down with her.

"No, no, no!" Commander Spitfire screams. She stomps towards Fluttershy, who blushes. "If you can't follow the flying sequence properly, then I'll send you to be one of the ground soldiers!" She huffs and goes back to her position, counting out the rhythm the pegasi would fly to.

-Line break-

"Come on, Flutters, it wasn't that bad," Rainbow Dash says to her friend as they fly to the Cloudsdale War Base mess hall an hour later.

Fluttershy glares at the blue pegasus. "This is the fifth time I fell this week, and it's only Wednesday!" she mumbles, frustrated.

The rainbow-maned mare flies in circles around the yellow pony. "At least it's better than last week," she offers, smiling.

Fluttershy sighs. Last week she'd fell twenty times. Spitfire gave her a week to improve her flying before she's sent to the ground soldiers' war bases.

The Cloudsdale War Base isn't the best place to live in, but ponies say that the war bases on the ground are worse. The soldiers don't get food at all some days, and the cramped living quarters are very poorly sanitized. If disease gets in one of the war bases, it would spread like wildfire.

"Well, why don't we grab some food quickly and I'll help you with the sequence for the rest of the meal hour?" Rainbow Dash says finally. Fluttershy says yes, grateful.

It turns out, though, after that week, Fluttershy would never have to do any of the dreaded flying sequences again.

-Line break-

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy heads to the training grounds (clouds, technically) right after they finish their hay sandwiches.

"You just have to flap slowly," Rainbow Dash instructs, showing her friend the sequence again, "Count in your head: one, two, one, two."

Fluttershy is just about to try it when Rainbow Dash's teammate, Soarin, flies up to the two mares, panting.

"Gotta…see…poster…illegal…" he pants, then blushes when Rainbow Dash looks at him weirdly.

He takes a few moments to stop panting, and tells the two ponies what happened. It turns out that somepony has put up posters telling everypony to stop fighting the war and join something called "The Peace Corp".

"Spitfire is really angry," Soarin explains, "She says that nopony had better leave or else they'd be shot."

As they follow Soarin, Fluttershy notices Rainbow Dash staring at her teammate and smiling a bit goofily.

"Face it," she teases, a smug smile on her face, "you like him, don't you."

Rainbow Dash blushes furiously, "We're just good friends. That's it," she growls.

"What about all the dates you've gone on?"

"Those were friendly get-togethers!"

"Why wasn't anypony else invited, then?"

"You know what? Think what you want. I don't even care" Rainbow says, sounding like she cares very much.

They reach the Wonderbolts mares' cabin (where Rainbow Dash is sleeping in) and sees the shiny posters.

Some workers are trying to take the posters off. A group of ponies try scraping them off, but the posters seems to be super glued to the wall. Some ponies try painting over the posters, but the paint just slides off the shiny, smooth surface.

"We're trying everything we can," a servant is telling Spitfire, "but the posters won't come off. It's either we take out the cabins or just leave the posters like that."

"Never mind," Spitfire grumbles, then louder, she says, "If I catch anypony discussing those posters, they will be sent to Celestia to be dealt with. Understand?"

The other soldiers grumble "yes" and leave.

Fluttershy remains behind and reads the poster. Spitfire gives her a disapproving look. "I'm just curious," Fluttershy tells the commander, "I want to know what this is. I won't discuss it." Spitfire raises an eyebrow and tells the shy pegasus that she has thirty seconds.

-Line break-

"Come and join the Peace Corp," Fluttershy quickly reads, "Save lives instead of taking them. We know you don't like killing. You can live here as a refugee.

"We will send volunteers on missions to stop attacks and try to make peace with both sides. If we succeed this task, Equestria will return to how it was like before the Great Explosion, except all four princesses would have a say in the decisions for Equestria.

"Don't worry about attacks on our base. We have developed a special protection spell to block any kind of missiles, bombs, and anything else that might pose a threat to the Peace Corp."

Fluttershy mentally gasps. This is the kind of group she has dreamed of joining ever since she was forced to join the Solar Army. She tries to find the location of the organization, but Spitfire tells Fluttershy that her minute is up.

Just before Fluttershy is dragged away, she sees, at the bottom of the poster, the words "Princess Cadence welcomes you to the Peace Corp at the Crystal Empire. (No weapons allowed)"

Good. Now she has a destination.

**I ship SoarinDash. They're my favorite MLP couple after CheesePie. :3**

**The next chapter shoule be coming righht up!**

**Review!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Alright, here's today's second chapter:**

"You want to _what_!?" Rainbow Dash exclaims, staring at her friend incredulously. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are in the Wonderbolts mares' cabin talking about the poster. Soarin had agreed to guard the door and warn them if anypony comes.

Fluttershy nods. "You heard me," she tells her friend calmly, "I want to go join the Peace Corp."

"But didn't you hear Spitfire?" Rainbow says, flying around in circles, "She said that-"

"If anypony goes there, they'll be shot," Fluttershy finishes. That didn't change her mind on the matter. "I know that, but it's worth the risk."

"Why would you want to go there, anyway?"

"I don't like how Celestia runs things."

"Why didn't you join Luna, then, when you had the chance?"

"I don't want to fight a war."

"You're in the Solar Army."

"I was forced to join."

"You can't just quit this army and join some kind of organization! What about Twilight and I?"

"Twilight can do just fine without us. If want to stay together with me, you're more than welcome to come along."

"I'm a Wonderbolt. I have to stay with Celestia. She was the one that started this group."

"It's not like Celestia has done anything for you before. We were the one that saved her so many times."

"We were saving Equestria as well!"

"She never helped."

"She couldn't. We were the only ones that could use the Elements."

"Stop being cowardly."

"Don't call me a coward. You're the one that's too afraid to fight."

"What about your father, Rainbow? You're too scared of losing your place in the Wonderbolts to fight for him."

Rainbow Dash freezes and glares at Fluttershy, her eyes burning with hatred. Fluttershy steps back, realizing she'd gone too far.

Quick as lightning, the blue pegasus strikes out, cuffing Fluttershy on the ear.

"Never. Mention. My. Father. Again," she snarls quietly, her voice drips with venom. "I'll help you get to the Crystal Empire so I could get you out of my sight. If you get yourself killed, though, that wouldn't be my problem."

"_I said_, how about we get some _sugar cubes_?" Soarin's muffled voice calls out from outside.

The two mares look at each other. _Sugar cubes_ is the key word that Soarin is supposed to say when somepony approaches.

"Err, no thanks, Soarin. Maybe later," says the voice of Rainbow Dash's teammate, Fleetfoot, "I need to brush my mane, and I think I heard some shouting in there."

Rainbow Dash opens the door and smiles. "Hey, Fleetfoot! I'm just gonna go with Soarin and get those sugar cubes he wants so much." she says cheerily. Fluttershy wouldn't believe that that same pony was screaming at her and hitting her just moments before had she not seen it herself.

The other Wonderbolt raises her eyebrow and smirks. "Alright, have a nice- 'friendly get together'," she teases. On her way into the cabin, Fleetfoot nods at Fluttershy.

The three ponies stare at each other.

"So, how about those sugar cubes?" Soarin asks.

"Sure," Rainbow shrugs. She glares at Fluttershy. Said pony shrinks at her friend's glare. "Just the two of us, though," she continues, "That pony is not coming."

"Alright, what happened?" Soarin asks, confused.

-Line break-

Fluttershy creeps out of the cramped soldier's cabin with half a dozen other ponies. If they can get to the nearest orphanage, they'll be safe for the night.

An owl hoots in the distance. At least, if anypony wakes up and hears, Fluttershy hopes that they'll be too groggy to remember that owls don't usually come to Cloudsdale.

"Come on," she whispers. The seven ponies tiptoe out of the war base building.

Rainbow Dash and Soarin are waiting for them in the arena.

"The owner of the nearest orphanage has a key sentence for entrance," Soarin informs the ponies in a hurried whisper. He had refused to have anything to do with the escape until Rainbow Dash threw her hooves around his neck and begged him to help. "The sentence is 'Stop the war, peace is the answer'-the Peace Corp's slogan. Don't forget the sentence, or she won't let you in."

Rainbow Dash gestures for the ponies to follow her, and they head to the orphanage five miles away

The ponies reach the building. Fluttershy knocks and says the key sentence. A white mare with a curly yellow mane lets the seven ponies inside.

Tomorrow night they will head to the orphanage that Fluttershy lived in for two years. The others at the war base would have noticed that they were gone by then. Fluttershy now starts to-almost-regret escaping. The chances of making it to the Peace Corp would be slim.

Fluttershy watches Rainbow Dash fly away with regret. If she survives the trip to the Crystal Empire, she might not see her friend ever again.

"But I never got to apologize," Fluttershy murmurs to herself sadly.

**Headcannon: Fluttershy is an orphan. That's why we never saw a cameo of her parents in the show.**

**I'll give a viral cookie to whoever guesses the name of the mare running the orphnage! (Hint, she was one of Lauren Faust's childhood toys.)**

**Remember, don't expect to eat hamburgers if you go to Abnegation, hang-gliding is a very awesome sport, and don't choose Dauntless unless you're sure that you can jump off a train! (Guess what I started reading.)**

**Review!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi everyone! Sorry that I haven't posted in a while. No, it's not because of school. Unfortunately, I live in BC so school was cancelled. I just had a really bad case of writer's block.**

**Bloodkiller811: Great! Let's see the OC.**

**Streak: Alright, I'll see what I can do.**

**SM1: You win a viral cookie.**

Luna closes her eyes and casts her spell. She's had some hesitation deciding to do it, but she knows that it's the only way they can win this war.

She feels a floating feeling and fades into the darkness.

-Line break-

_Luna appears in a beautiful meadow. The sun is shining brightly and there is a slight warm breeze. A unicorn family is having a picnic._

_Luna feels a twinge of nostalgia. She has been in several meadows like this before the Great Explosion. Now, there isn't anywhere as nice as this place._

_Luna casts an invisibility spell and moves closer to the ponies. She smiles when she sees that it's the general that controls the Solar Empire ground force._

_The general is talking to his son, rubbing the younger colt's back in a soothing manner._

_"__Don't worry, son," the general says to the colt, "This war won't last long. Your mother and I will be back before you know it."_

_If there is a time that Luna can feel even more guilty for what she's about to do, this is it. This stallion has a wife and a child. Nevertheless, she lowers her horn and casts the spell. She has to do it if she wants to win this war._

_The general's wife and son dissipate into shadows. The stallion gasps and looks around in horror. _

_Luna casts another spell. The bright sun gets bigger and closer to the meadow. The grass catches on fire and burns. The stallion screams as the flames burn the bright green pasture into piles of ash._

_The wind speeds up and begins twirling into a tornado. The general gets pulled into the tornado. Normally a wind this strong would put out the fires, but the fire keeps burning._

_Luna is tugged out of the dream as the stallion wakes up. She smiles ruefully. It would only take a few more nights for this stallion to give up sleep._

_-Line break-_

"Princess Luna!" a colt yells from behind.

Luna turns around. A fourteen year old pegasus colt in a blue uniform is standing at her doorway. Luna recognizes him as Clock Music, one of her Children of the Night. He is one of the fifty or so ponies in the messaging division.

"What were you doing, Luna?" Clock Music asks, "I came here and you were staring out the window. I tried to get your attention but your eyes were glowing!"

Luna blushes. It can sometimes get awkward with the ponies around her when she's dream travelling. She invites Clock Music in and explains everything to him.

The colt's eyes widen in horror. He edges away from Luna a little.

"S-so you can torture ponies in their dream and stop them from sleeping?" he asks, voice shaking slightly.

Luna nods. It had never occurred to her how frightening it could be; even just to hear about it. She had never liked manipulating dreams into nightmares, but it is necessary now to win the war, so she had done it.

_If ponies know that I can do this, they would have every reason to be afraid of me,_ Luna thinks,_ Even if I win, would I be any better than Celestia?_

Clock Music gets up and quickly walks out of Luna's room; although Luna thinks that if running is allowed in the halls, he would have run.

Luna bites her tongue. No, she wouldn't use the spell again.

A pony knocks on Luna's door.

"Come in," the princess says confusedly.

A grey mare with a yellow mane and strange, lopsided eyes, also in a blue uniform comes in. She has an annoyed expression on her face.

"Can I help you?" Luna asks. She tries to remember the mare's name-Dippy Cloves?

The mare scans around the room. A moment later, she faces Luna with an embarrassed expression on her face.

"Forgive me, princess," she says, "I was sent to check on the messenger pony that was sending you the message. I just don't know what went wrong! He was gone for half an hour and you still hadn't come. What happened? Where is the messenger?"

Luna hesitates to tell the mare what has happened. She doesn't want another pony afraid of her as well. Instead she decides to change the subject.

"What was the message he was supposed to send me?" Luna asks.

"You are supposed to go to the training arena. The Children of the Night want you to help with their training," she replies.

-Line break-

"No! start over!" the trainer is shouting to a group of earth pony fillies wrestling with cloth dummies when Luna arrives.

The dark blue alicorn puts a hoof onto the trainer's shoulder. "Calm down, Apocalypse," she says sternly. She faces the group of fillies struggling with the dummies. "You have to flip them over, like this," she instructs, snatching a dummy by its legs and flipping it over her shoulder in one swift move. The foals nod and continue trying.

Apocalypse smiles a smile that lasts half a millisecond-the happiest expression he'll ever make- and limps away to help a group of colts in the shooting range, muttering, "Mother should have used that move."

Apocalypse is Luna's best trainer. Sure, he has a crippled leg from the explosion, but somehow you could never tell in a fight.

Luna goes to help some new members-in-training with swordsmanship. By the end of the day, she has almost forgotten about the incident with Clock Music.

**Headcannon: Luna can manipulate dreams into whatever she wants.**

**Remember, if you're a dragon and you want to sneeze, make sure you do it away from books, Madame le Flour likes cake, and Celestia likes golden apples!**

**Review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi! Guess what? I don't have writer's block anymore! That's why this chapter was so quick! *throws streamers and confetti* YAAAAAYYYYYY!**

**SM1: Yeah, I admit. It's one of the weaker chapters. That was just filler, so will this chapter and the next. But after that, I'm planning on some more action and characterization. (I think I might have given you guys a spoiler.)**

**Here's today's chapter:**

Meadowlark kicks an apple tree. Several of the red fruits fall in the three baskets that Meadowlark has set up around the small tree. About twice that much falls on the ground around him.

The bright yellow pegasus groans and picks up the scattered fruit. He hears a giggle and looks over. His friend Crabapple is looking at him, hiding a smile. Behind him sits three baskets perfectly filled with apples. No fruit is scattered across the ground.

Meadowlark rolls his eyes at his friend. "Don't rub it in," he groans, smiling a bit.

"Hey, I've had practice since I was four!" Crabapple replies, laughing, "Don't worry. Not everypony is as good as me at picking apples." He trots over and helps his friend pick up the apples.

"One thing I don't understand," Crabapple says as he drops an apple into one of the baskets, "is how the sun is able to shine on the moon and still be bright enough to grow stuff. Back at my old home, nothing grows on cloudy days."

Meadowlark shrugs. "I heard Nightingale ask Luna about it once. She said something about an artificial sun."

"Oh."

-Line break-

An hour later, they hear an announcement: _All ponies chosen by Princess Luna to join the Peace Corp meetings must come to the meeting hall in fifteen minutes!_

Meadowlark looks at Crabapple excitedly. They had heard of the Peace Corp a few times. Crabapple's aunts Applejack and Applebloom are even two of the ponies invited to the meetings. After the last meeting two weeks ago, the two colts had pegged Applebloom for details on the meeting. She just said that they went very well.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Meadowlark asks his friend, grinning.

Crabapple rolls his eyes. "That we should get back to work before my aunt Babs calls us out on slacking?" he replies.

Meadowlark slaps his forehead. "No!" he yells, "We should go to the Crystal Empire and see the meeting!"

Crabapple's eyes widen. "But we'll get in trouble! Only ponies over the age of sixteen and invited by Luna can go to the meetings! There's no way that my aunt Scootaloo is gonna let us in!"

"Who says we're asking anypony?" Meadowlark says, lowering his voice, "Come on, we can sneak inside one of the spaceships and go see the Crystal Empire for ourselves. I'm sure your aunts and uncles will help us cover the work we've missed. We'll go to the spaceship driven by your aunt Applebloom's friend Scootaloo. If she sees us, she won't tell on us."

Crabapple considers this for a moment. "Fine," he finally grumbles, "but if we get caught, I'm blaming it on you."

Meadowlark rolls his eyes and heads to meeting hall.

-Line break-

The two colts sneak behind a group of mannequins holding armor in the empty armory. They need to get onto Scootaloo's spaceship before anypony comes.

"-working on a faster engine as well." A muffled, gravelly voice says from behind the armory door.

"Are you sure you can handle it, Scootaloo?" a gruff voice says, sounding mildly concerned, "I don't want you to work later than you absolutely have to."

Crabapple shoots Meadowlark a glance. They need to wait until Scootaloo gets on a spaceship, and then they need to get in the same spaceship, find a good spot to hide, stay silent for the entire ride to the Crystal Empire, and hope that nopony finds them. Cake.

Scootaloo heads to a spaceship in the far back of the armory and opens its door. Meadowlark inwardly groans. They have to go that far?

They start running silently towards the spaceship, ducking behind other spaceships, racks of assorted weapons, and pieces of armor.

_Clang!_

Meadowlark glares at Crabapple, who blushes.

"Who's there?" Scootaloo demands, looking around. She turns to older black unicorn accompanying her. "Go look around, Clashing Blade," she says.

Meadowlark and Crabapple sprint inside the dark spaceship and hides in a pile of what feels like armor. They collapse and pant heavily.

"Remind me never to trust your plans again," Crabapple pants, glaring at Meadowlark.

Said pegasus glares back. "Remind me to make sure you take off your horseshoes before we sneak somewhere again."

"Nopony's there," they hear Clashing Blade say to Scootaloo, "Must be somepony in the hall. They probably bumped into one of the heaters."

The orange pegasus steps inside the spaceship, adjusts a few switches, presses a few buttons, and leaves, locking the door to the spacecraft.

"Ready!" she yells down the hall.

Meadowlark inwardly slaps himself. She wasn't going to drive the stupid spaceship; she was adjusting the control panel for another pony to do that.

_Well, we'll just have to hope that whoever drives this thing won't see us,_ Meadowlark thinks, hoping that he looks somewhat like a piece of armor.

-Line break-

About half an hour later, a group of about fifteen ponies get into the spaceship, followed by a pink mare with a yellow mane. Judging from her uniform, Meadowlark guesses that she's the pilot of the spaceship.

The takeoff is terrifying. There is rumbling coming from the bump Meadowlark was leaning on. A lurching feeling follows, and Meadowlark feels like he's going to lose his breakfast. He is glad when the spaceship finally lands on solid ground again.

Meadowlark and Crabapple (who also looks a bit green) stumble out and hurries to blend in with a group of foals (crystal and normal) watching the spaceships land.

"Hi!" a squeaky voice says behind the two colts, making them jump, "I haven't seen you two around before. I'm Skyla. What's your name?"

**Uh-oh. Busted! At least you know why the ponies on the Moon are able to grow crops!**

**I think I'll make another subplot about Scootaloo building a faster engine. **

**Pizza for whoever guesses the name of the pony driving the spaceship! (Also, I hope most of you have figured out that the messenger mare in the last chapter was Derpy)**

**Remember, Pinkie has only seen one balloon gardern before, Tom is the best rock, and establishing something for the sake of diminishing the same thing in the period of twenty minutes isn't a good idea.**

**Review!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi, everyone! Sorry that I haven't posted. I had writer's block.**

**However, I would like to say that I finally had 10 reviews in one chapter! So, according to the promise I made more than ten chapters ago, today I'm going to have a double update!**

**SM1: Ding ding ding! The pilot is Cherry Berry! You win an entire pizza! One of them is going to appear in the next chapter. You do realize that they're only thirteen, right?**

**TimeVortexGamer: Sure, why not. A slice of pizza to everyone and a whole pizza to anyone who got it right!**

**ZeldatheWarriorPrincess: Too long. It's going to have a lot of chapters, so happy reading!**

**naidaX: No, Hasbro created Princess Skyla, but she never appeared in the show. She still has her own mechandise.**

**Here's the first chapter for today:**

"Mom, can I please, please, please go watch?" Skyla pleads as Cadence gets ready to attend the meeting.

"Skyla, we've been over this," Shining Armor says, placing his crown on his head, "It might get ugly, and we don't want you to get hurt."

"Last month's meeting went just fine," Skyla points out.

"That was the only the second meeting, so the Lunar Republic soldiers wanted to make a good impression. Remember that they're still trained adults that can hurt you if they want," Cadence replies, "Sorry, Skyla. Maybe when you're older I'll think about it. Now, I want you to go and make friends with the other foals and stay out of trouble."

Skyla pouts as she and Kayla head outside.

The foals at the Peace Corp are very kind, but Skyla just can't seem to make friends with any of them. She'd talk to them, screw something up, and get too embarrassed to talk to the ponies again. Not including Kayla, she has never had a friend for more than two weeks.

"How about this," Kayla says in an attempt to cheer the princess up, "Next month we get Oceanstar to hide us in one of those giant potted plants in the meeting hall and listen to the entire meeting?"

Skyla laughs bitterly. "Yeah, right," she snorts, "Like Oceanstar's ever gonna disobey my mom. I just wish there was some new foals to hang out with."

They walk around the Crystal Empire for a while, rolling their eyes at all the new refugees gasping in awe at the buildings. Having lived there for their entire lives, neither Skyla nor Kayla really finds the crystal houses all that amazing.

"Hey, Sky?" Kayla whispers, "Didn't you say that you wanted to meet some new foals? I see two colts there. Give it your best shot."

Skyla looks over at the direction Kayla is pointing. Two colts are stumbling around, looking slightly sick. One of them is a red earth pony, with emerald green eyes and an orange mane. The other is a yellow pegasus with a black band around his neck and a white mane spotted with black dots.

She takes a deep breath and approaches the colts. Hopefully she doesn't screw it up.

"Hi!" she says in a voice that sounds kind of squeaky, the colts jump. "I haven't seen you two around before," she continues, "My name's Skyla. What's yours?"

The two colts look at each other and smile uneasily. "I'm Crabapple," the cute earth pony colt says, "and this is my friend Meadowlark," he gestures to the yellow pegasus colt. He waves.

"You're Princess Skyla?" Meadowlark asks, raising an eyebrow, "I saw you at Canterlot Capital Week a few months ago. You looked pretty relieved when Luna put a stop to the speeches and teleported away with half the crowd."

Skyla nods. "Yeah, I didn't like my speech. Celestia controlled everything we were supposed to say. This is my servant, Kayla by the way." She gestures to the crystal pony.

"Nice to meet you," Crabapple says back. "So, why aren't you at the meeting?"

"It's only for ponies over the age of sixteen," the alicorn explains, "You two won't be allowed to see the meeting either."

"Hey, Skyla," Meadowlark says with a grin, "we just got here and still have a couple hours to waste. Can you show us around this place?"

Skyla looks at Kayla, who nods.

"Sure," she replies, and heads to the nearest sight of the Crystal Empire-the fountain park.

-Line break-

Skyla is very surprised at how well she knows the empire. After all, she has only been allowed to wander around the place for less than two months. Even so, she remembers where most of the attractions are. She leads the two colts to every significant place she knows except the castle. Meanwhile, she can hear the two ponies whispering behind her.

"-see the meetings!" Crabapple mutters, "Not…!"

"…not allowed…" Meadowlark whispers back, "I've always wanted…can't just…spaceship…caught!"

"What are you two talking about?" Skyla asks, looking back.

The foals share another uneasy look. Skyla decides to drop the subject.

"By the way, where are your parents?" Skyla continues, trying to change the subject.

Both colts' faces darken. _Oops._

"My parents died," Meadowlark says simply.

"My dad died in the Great Explosion," Crabapple says, his voice a monotone, "My mom is still alive, but she gets fits at times and cry for no reason. Sometimes she just drifts around. It's like she's not entirely there anymore."

Kayla gently pokes Skyla with her back leg and glares at her.

"Sorry!" Skyla bursts out, "I didn't mean to… I mean…"

Meadowlark chuckles darkly. "Ah, it's okay. You didn't know. Anyway, on with the tour! What do I have to do to get good service around here?"

Skyla shoots him a grateful look and continue with the tour. But the two ponies stop the whispering.

-Line break-

"And this is the library, which, according to my mom, has over three thousand- what is it?"

Crabapple nudges Skyla. "Sorry Skyla, but we really have to go now."

"Why?" the princess asks, "It's only four o'clock. I'm sure you're allowed to stay out a bit longer."

"Well, we're supposed to go home at four o'clock," Meadowlark says nervously, "and if we don't hurry now, our ride is gonna leave without us!"

They wave and run off.

"But the Crystal Empire doesn't have a bus or taxi system!" Kayla calls out after the ponies.

Skyla frowns at the ground. "It's not that," she tells her friend, "They probably decided that they didn't like me. That's why they wanted to leave so badly."

**Aww... Poor Skyla. I'm sure it's not like that.**

**The next chapter should be coming up soon!**

**Review!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Here's today's second chapter:**

Spike takes a blank scroll out of a giant stack and hands it to Twilight, who accepts it with a muttered, "Thanks". The alicorn starts scribbling on the parchment so fast that Spike isn't sure if she's drawing out another battle plan or just going crazy with the quill.

He climbs the tall ladder leaning on one of the shelves and takes out the library's Classic Foolproof War Strategies Volume LXIV.

"Do you need this again, Twilight?" Spike asks, unconsciously rubbing his sore shoulders.

Twilight looks up, annoyed, but her glare softens when she sees the book Spike is holding.

"Thanks Spike," she says, snatching the book from the dragon's claws, causing him to fall into a pile of books and parchment below. Spike groans, rubs his head, and continue to fetch things for Twilight.

Ever since the war started, he'd been working like crazy-sending battle plans to Princess Celestia, fetching things for Twilight, training for eight hours a day in combat in case the war is still going on by the time he turns sixteen, and helping with pretty much anything, be it war-related or not.

He has Owlicious to help, of course, and Twilight hired a unicorn colt with good organization skills to help her when Spike is training. But every night, he'd still collapse in bed and fall asleep the second his head touches his pillow.

But he's happy to help Twilight. He doesn't like the war that's going on, and Twilight has once told him that she doesn't, either. Even so, Twilight wants to help Celestia, and Spike wants to help Twilight. He'll do anything to get as much attention as he had before the war.

-Line break-

"I'm back!" a croaky voice says as its owner comes into the castle study.

Spike looks over. The helping hoof, Librario, is back from training.

Librario is a white unicorn with his red-and-black mane in a short army cut. He has piercing red eyes that glare a lot. He's thirteen, a year younger than Spike, but he's much bigger, with more muscles. He's very smart and fast, which is why Twilight let him work in the castle. The two assistant have developed a respectful tolerance between each other, but Spike wouldn't exactly consider him as a friend.

"Good," Spike grumbles, "I think Twilight's gonna run out of ink soon. She'll need a refill." He gives the shelf next to him a good dusting, hops off the stool he was standing on, and heads to training.

-Line break-

The Ponyville War Base is separated into two areas-one for soldiers who are old enough to fight, and one for fillies and colts over the age of ten to train. That's where Spike heads.

Flash Sentry, Twilight's guard and boyfriend, has already begun training when Spike gets there.

Flash looks up from a pair of sparring foals and scowls. "You're late," he growls, but his expression softens upon seeing Spike. "Oh, it's you," he says, "Twily's busy again, huh. Well, your group is practicing in the shooting range."

Spike nods and scurries to the shooting range, where about fifty foals his age are firing at targets about forty feet away.

He grabs a revolver and aims at his target. He pulls the trigger, and…

**_BOOM!_**

The floor starts shaking, knocking Spike off his feet. Around him, his group is tumbling around like him, their guns rolling on the ground. Spike hopes that nopony touches the triggers to any of the firearms.

The shaking stops. Spike gets up to looks around. Flash Sentry goes over to one of the gates and peer out the door's window.

He looks at the five hundred foals staring at him curiously, his face pale.

"It's an attack," Flash announces, his voice quivering slightly, "Everypony, go to the underground shelters, and don't attempt to fight the attackers."

The foals run off obediently. Spike, Flash, and a few more trainers are the only ponies remaining in the room.

"Mr. the Dragon," one of the other trainers commands, "you are to go to Princess Twilight's study, make sure that she and her helping hoof are both in the shelters, and follow whatever order she might give you after that exactly. A few other guards will be there momentarily."

-Line break-

Spike hears Twilight before he sees her on the way to the castle study.

"What the ~ #$%^&*_+=-!" Twilight screams, "Can't I just have a full day of {^ (%/=& work time without any of these $#! ±=^ attacks!?"

Spike bursts into the study. Twilight, Owlicious, and Librario are gathering her battle plans. Librario is gritting his teeth, probably at the choice of words that Twilight is using.

"Twi, let's go!" Spike shouts.

"Just a minute!" Twilight shouts back, stuffing another dozen scrolls of parchment into a saddlebag, "I just need to get my stuff!"

"Oh, for Celestia's sakes, Twilight!" Spike screams. He can hear stomping coming up the stairs to the study. "We won't be here in another minute!" He snatches up the last of the scrolls and shoves them in the saddlebag.

"Alright, alright," Twilight grumbles. Her horn glows purple and the four teleport into the one of the underground shelter, just as several dozen ponies in blue armor breaks into the room.

-Line break-

The shelter is dark, damp, and cold. The only sources of light are the weak light bulbs, two hundred feet apart from each other, lining the walls. The little bit of light seems to have a hard time penetrating the dimness of everything else.

Spike glances over and sees that Librario is shaking. He pats the unicorn's shoulder.

"Hey," he says softly, "We'll be safe here, big guy." Librario looks at him gratefully.

Spike leans on the wall, trying to keep himself from bursting into tears until they are allowed to come back out again.

**Yes. Spike's full name is Spike the Dragon.**

**Remember, Leo is the best demigod, never mention spiders in front of Annabeth unless you want a sword in your nose, and gather tissues and comfort food because the Blood of Olympus is coming in 21 days, 8 hours, 3 minutes, and about 52 seconds!**

**Review!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Writer's block. School will be starting soon, so I might post even less. Sorry!**

**SM1: *Dodges tissue box* Sorry! But you know why they had to go back.**

**Here's the chapter for today:**

Pinkie Pie adjusts her blue helmet to a more comfortable position, making sure that it still protects the back of her head.

Today is exactly a week after the fall equinox. It's also is the day that Luna has planned to start multiple attacks on several of Celestia's war bases, like Princess Cadence has suggested in the last meeting two weeks ago, along with sending a couple of spies.

The Lunar Army will attack the war bases in some of the most powerful cities- Ponyville, Fillydelphia, Cloudsdale, Vanhoover, Los Pegasus, and Manehattan. Luna sent most of the pegasi to Cloudsdale and Los Pegasus, and plenty of unicorns to Manehattan and Fillydelphia. The remaining ponies were sent to either Vanhoover or Ponyville. Pinkie Pie herself is heading to Vanhoover. Thank Luna. She doesn't want to end up fighting Twilight or Spike.

Pinkie takes a deep breath. She is nervous. Very nervous. Her Pinkie Sense is telling her that something surprising is going to happen. She likes surprises, sure, but only good ones. She isn't sure if the surprise is going to be very good for her.

As the spaceship soars on, Pinkie lets her mind wander.

_Those clouds look like frosting. Mmm… creamy, creamy frosting. When was the last time I had frosting anyway? Right. Six years ago, before Celestia made me work in that kitchen. I was throwing a party for somepony, I think her name was Carrot Top, and we had punch and cheesecake with lots of frosting. Wait… cheesecake. Cheese. _Cheese Sandwich!

Pinkie lets her mind focus on her old friend and co-worker for the rest of the ride.

-Line break-

As soon as she lands in the battlefield, Pinkie Pie can tell what she's supposed to do.

Her eyes lock on the gates to the main building. She can see a large crack on the left door. She glances up at the windows in the floor above the gate. All of them are open except two-they are locked shut.

_That must be where the war general is. The windows must be closed to prevent spying._

She sprints towards the crack on the door. If she can capture the war general, the Lunar Republic might have a better chance of winning.

The distance between where Pinkie landed and the gates is a very short distance-just over two hundred yards. Pinkie can be very fast when she wants to, so she figures that she'll be able to break into the building very quickly.

What she doesn't take account of is the hundreds of soldiers intended on stopping her.

One slams into her side, knocking her breathless for a second. Pinkie raises her gun and shoots the pony.

Another pony whips out a bayonet, slashing at her. Pinkie dodges, but the blade leaves a giant gash across her face. Blood drip to the ground.

Looking at her own blood makes her feel sick. With difficulty, she tears her eyes away from the puddle and faces the soldier in the yellow armor. He gives her an amused smile that looks mentally unstable.

_Go ahead,_ his eyes seem to say, _Try to fight me. Let's see how long you last._

Pinkie Pie wants to yell, _No thanks! I'm good!_

The soldier swings his bayonet again. Pinkie dodges it, this time without getting cut in the process. She feels another pony shoot her in the back, but the bullet doesn't enter her body at all. She decides that when she gets back, she'll have to thank the armory blacksmith, Clashing Blade, for the bullet proof armor.

Pinkie turns her gun around and presses a button. The technicians have developed a gun that also has a blade attached to it. This pony wants to fight classically, so Pinkie will give classic.

The next strike of the soldier's bayonet is deflected by Pinkie Pie's own sword-a three foot steel blade. Pinkie gives the soldier her own challenging glare.

_No, let's see how long _you_ last._

As they fight, Pinkie analyzes her opponent's strikes. The pony's top left side is slightly less guarded than the rest of his body. The previously party pony jabs at the soldier's top left side.

That was a mistake. The pony in the yellow armor deflects the steel blade, knocking it to out of his opponent's hooves and to the side. He strikes Pinkie again, this time with the flat side of his blade, (whether that is intentional or accidental Pinkie doesn't know) and slams the pink pony's helmet right off.

The Solar Empire soldier grins, as if Pinkie Pie is a Hearth's Warming Eve present that he can't wait to open.

"Well, well, well," he mutters, still wearing that scary grin. He pins the smaller pony to the ground. He is so close to Pinkie that the mare can smell his sour breath. "You put up a great fight, little filly. Didn't think a girl would have it in her."

Pinkie Pie kicks him in the chest. The stallion howls and let go.

"First of all," Pinkie snarls, grabbing her gun and pointing the bullet side to the stallion's nose, "Stop being sexist. And second of all, go away if you want to live."

The soldier tries to reach for his bayonet, but Pinkie kicks it away into the battle around them. The stallion shoves Pinkie Pie down.

"I don't think so," he breathes in the pink mare's ear.

He slams the mare onto the concrete ground, which completely discombobulates her. Then he slams her onto the ground again, again and again.

_Well, guess I'm gonna die here,_ Pinkie thinks sadly.

The stallion grabs the collar of her armor again. Time slows down. Pinkie Pie can see a flash of orange, brown, and blue.

_Can it be? No. It can't. What are the chances of that?_

The stallion freezes. He drops Pinkie and falls down. Behind him is a very familiar orange stallion with a curly brown mane in blue armor. He's holding a gun.

"Stay away from her," Cheese Sandwich growls to the other stallion, now dying, if not already dead.

Cheese faces Pinkie. "You okay, Pinkie?" he asks, "_PINKIE!_"

Then the scene in front of her becomes blurry, as if Pinkie is watching a film with bad quality and static sounds. Everything goes black.

**Ohhh... cliff hanger... I guess I learned a thing or two from Uncle Rick. (In case you haven't figured it out, I'm a die-hard Percy Jackson fan.)**

**I ship CheesePie. Sorry if this isn't your OTP, but it is mine. (For MLP, anyway.)**

**Remember, Pinkie Pie isn't a genieus, she's a chicken, Rarity thinks everything's uncouth, and bowling is ****_not_**** Applebloom's special talent.**

**Review!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi everyone! School started, so I haven't have any time to post another chapter. I swear, my teacher is going out of his way to make sure I don't have time to write.**

**Everyone That Sent Me Death Threats About Killing Pinkie: Well, I can't exactly spoil the story for you, but I can tell you that they will****_ not_**** have ten minutes. Also, I'm terribly sorry for the remainder of the Pie family for their inconvienience.**

**Trolling my readers is so much fun.**

**Anyway, here you go:**

Scootaloo steps on the fuel pedal to speed up the spaceship that she's driving. She can see the giant mass of clouds that was once the home for so many pegasi on her ship. They're almost at Cloudsdale.

They are attacking a bit late. They got delayed by a flock of geese. Scootaloo had to swerve to dodge them, and they got off course. It's still noon, though, so she figures that they wouldn't be that far behind the others on their way to Cloudsdale.

Her co-pilot reaches over and steers the ship around a mass of clouds that she hadn't noticed.

"Careful," he grumbles, "That could have messed up the engines."

Scootaloo yawns and doesn't reply. She had been staying up all night to complete a new engine model that would run on less fuel and go faster.

Her co-workers say that she really shouldn't be staying up so late, but she has to. The Lunar Republic soldiers have to get up just a little while after midnight to fight a battle. The sooner Scootaloo finishes the engine, the better everypony can sleep, and the better they will fight.

She chugs down a mug of coffee and hopes that her sleepiness wears off by the time they get to Cloudsdale.

-Line break-

Scootaloo lets her co-pilot take the wheel and jumps down the plane. Below her is a one-hundred foot drop. She flaps her wings vigorously to avoid becoming a grease spot in one of the clouds.

She's been practicing flying, and can now keep herself airborne for almost thirty seconds. But it's not enough.

The orange pegasus lands face first on a cloud. She sighs in relief when she checks that none of her bones are broken. Her armor, however, has hit her shoulder very hard. Scootaloo figures that she'll have a big bruise there later.

She looks around the war base. She's in the training arena, where most of the battle is going on. Beyond the arena walls, about a kilometer away, is a gray building. It seems to be made of hard-packed rain clouds.

The armory would be right behind the building. Scootaloo knows where she needs to go.

Before they headed out for the battle, Luna had pulled Scootaloo and a few other head technicians over and told them about her plan. The Solar Empire, she said, is developing some very advanced technology. If they were to get rid of the armories that store the weapons, then that would be another thing the Lunar Republic will have to their advantage.

Scootaloo rubs the smooth surface of her grenade latched onto her belt. The technicians have finally made a small, weak bomb that does just the right amount of damage.

She skirts around the edge of the arena. She needs to blow up the armory as soon as possible. The longer it takes, the more ponies will die. She can't waste her time fighting.

About ten minutes later, (she wasted a bit of time fending off a pegasus that was trying to kill her) she arrives at the gates of the armory.

Scootaloo pushes a button on her gun and a sword pops out on the opposite side. She uses the point to take apart the keypad. The gate opens. She thanks Twilight in her head for teaching her about mechanics.

A few ponies are guarding the machines. Scootaloo shoots five of them in two minutes. Then she tells the rest of the group to scram. The ponies, surprisingly, obeys. Scootaloo is glad that the soldiers didn't know that she only had five bullets left when she broke into the armory.

She looks around at all the magnificent pieces of machinery around her. She hesitates, feeling a twinge of guilt. The building has everything from machine guns to thermonuclear bombs to jet planes. It seems wrong to just destroy all of these wonderfully made weapons.

The small pegasus wonders around the building again. She sees a room that says: STAFF.

_Bingo._

She forces opens the door. A few ponies are inside, drawing diagrams. Scootaloo waves her gun around, pointing at each of the ponies in turn. They scramble out the window.

The sixteen-year-old tears off as many diagrams off the walls as she can find, and stuffs them in her too-big armor. She'll read them thoroughly later.

Before she can get out of the room, there is a flash of different colors and a heavy body slams into her, knocking her out of the window. Her vision goes black for a count of five.

When Scootaloo can see clearly again, she is at the bottom of the building. She has several gashes from where the glass cut her, and she's pretty sure that her leg isn't supposed to be angled that way. At least she is alive. She's thankful that clouds are so soft.

However, when she sees that a mare is pressing her down, one hoof on her neck and the other holding a gun that is pressed to the teen's forehead, she becomes less thankful.

Scootaloo stares at the mare. Her helmet is covering her face, so she can't tell who it is. But her magenta eyes look so familiar…

The mechanic looks further. The mare has a rainbow-colored tail.

_No._

"Rainbow…" Scootaloo croaks, "Rainbow Dash, please…"

She feels hot tears streak her face. At first she thinks that they are her own, but after a while, she realizes that they're her sister's. Rainbow Dash lets go.

Scootaloo touches her neck. It still aches.

"Get away while you still can," Rainbow growls, looking up at the sky. A streak of teal with an orange zigzag crosses the sky, making the older mare's eyes look stormy gray. "This war has made me do things that I regret, but nopony's gonna make me kill my own sister."

Scootaloo gapes at the Solar Empire soldier. Then what she says sinks in. She nods, and before she can restrain herself, she pulls her big sister in for a hug.

Rainbow Dash pushes her away after a while and flies off.

Scootaloo rubs the smooth surface of the grenade latched onto her belt. The war has made her do things she regretted as well. She is going to change that.

Scootaloo takes a deep breath and drops the grenade through the clouds. It isn't going to destroy anything today.

**Oh, no! I wonder if she's going to get punished for that? But at least Scootaloo got her blueprints.**

**Remember, Vinyl Scratch never takes off her head phones, Principal Celestia and Vice Principle Luna are hideous, and the Dazzlings' plan was ****_not_**** stupid and contrived! (Seriously, I can see so many analysists complaining about it in the future, but it's actually a work of genius if you think about it. They were defeated by very lame Deus ex Machina.)**

**Review!**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hi, everyone! I'm back.**

**I have noticed a lot of OC submissions, and I want to say, keep on submitting! But, How about each person only submit a maximum of 5 OC's? It's not that I don't want your ideas, but give others a chance, please.**

**Melody: Yeah, I guess 'crumbling' was a bad use of words on my part, but it was supposed to ba dangerous. Celestia actually treats Twilight a lot better than you would think. It'll show in a future chapter. RD and Scootaloo aren't biologically related, but in Sleepless in Ponyville, Scootaloo said that she wanted to have a big sister and RD agreed to be her 'honorary sister'. I'll work on my grammar. Thanks for the advice!**

**chipmunkfanatic: No, Luna likes to keep her plans a secret. There will be rumors spreading around, though.**

**Here's today's chapter:**

Applebloom knows that she's done for when the robot with the giant machine gun appears.

She knew that she should expect some very advanced technology. It's Manehattan. Advanced technology is what they do. The spaceship she was travelling in was stopped by an electrical force field for a while. But seriously, they had a robot army?

And the most insulting part? The robot bears a great amount of resemblance to Big Macintosh, her brother, who has been dead for five and a half years.

The robot is big and stocky, easily twice the size of Applebloom herself. Its titanium outer shell is painted with a crimson color. The engineers probably meant for it to be colored blood red, but the color turned out to be more of a cherry blossom pink. Two stainless steel orbs peek out from the robot's head. The lighting of the planes above makes them look emerald green. It wears a yoke around its thick neck, but instead of pulling a plough, it's pulling a chariot with several real ponies in it.

Applebloom sobs in despair, slides her knife back, and turns her gun. Usually, a sword or a knife would be the young carpenter's preferred weapon. She likes it when she can have a little leeway for controlling where the sharp point goes after she's struck. But she knows that steel won't pierce titanium. At least, not at the speed its owner swings the blade.

She doesn't want to destroy the machine. But if she doesn't, it'll destroy her. She looks for any chink in the robot's armor. If she can get a bullet under the armor, it can pierce a wire or two, maybe a circuit board, and break the robot.

Her sister, Applejack, approaches behind her.

"What do we have, sis?" she asks.

"Giant robot," the teen replies, "Looks like titanium. There are probably some complex circuits under there. Usually with machines like these they have a couple of backup systems in case something goes wrong with the main one. It's really hard to design."

"Which is why they only have four other robots like this one," her sister finishes. "The cow herding method?" she offers.

Applebloom nods. "Let's do this."

Applebloom bumps the chariot that the robot is pulling. Applejack jumps up and grabs a hold of the robot's neck. The younger pony knocks the chariot to the side just as the older pony takes off the robot's yoke. The chariot swerves to one side and crashes.

Applebloom suspects that the soldier in the chariot would have to waste some time to recover before they can attack them again. She focuses her attention on the biggest threat: the robot.

Applejack is already fighting it. She's still on the machine's neck and trying to steer it to the main building of the war base. The robot beeps and clicks confusedly as if it isn't sure if it should do what its rider tells it to do or to follow its program.

It points its gun at the mare and shoots a violent stream of bullets. Applejack is leaning away to dodge the bullets. Applebloom is scared that if her sister leans too far, she'll fall off the machine.

A hoof grabs her by the neck and presses her to a hard surface.

Applejack looks over and cries out. The robot takes this chance and shoots her. Applebloom thinks the bullet would just bounce off, but her sister's gasp of pain tells her otherwise. The robot leaves, probably due to a confusion in its programming.

"Now, Applejack," says a calm, sickly sweet voice that Applebloom thinks sounds disturbingly familiar, "I wouldn't move too fast if I were you. You'll bleed to death faster. Plus, if you try to come near us," Applebloom feels a hoof unstrap the piece of armor protecting her neck and something sharp press against her throat, "well, you know what I'm going to say."

The orange farm pony is convulsing on the ground now. A small puddle of blood has formed on her left side. Her sister turns her gun around.

The knife presses harder onto Applebloom's throat. "No, Applebloom," the voice tells her, "You wouldn't want to hurt your dear Aunt Orange, now, do you? Luckily you turned your gun the wrong way. The _muzzle _is supposed to face your opponent."

No! It can't be Aunt Orange! Applebloom always thought her bossy but kind aunt would be fighting for the Lunar Republic, if not neutral.

Applebloom presses the button on the back of her gun. A steel blade pops out, knocking her aunt's helmet off.

Now Applebloom sees her aunt clearly for the first time in three years. Her once bright orange hair is now streaked with gray. She still has the same stern but kind face she'd always had. Her eyes are filled with regret.

She doesn't look like somepony that would kill her own nieces. That is, until the takes out her gun and points it at the eldest of the Apple sisters.

"No!" the red-maned teen screams. She uses her sword to reach out and deflect the bullet. She misses. The bullet, however, just bounces off. Apparently only the robot's bullets can pierce Applejack's bullet-proof armor.

She turns to look at her aunt. Said mare points her gun at Applebloom's face.

Before she knows what's going on, the younger pony lashes out with her blade. There's a sickening crack.

After a count of ten, Applebloom opens her eyes and realizes that she's not dead.

_But what was…?_

Applebloom looks over and throws up. She had decapitated her aunt.

Her sister's groan of pain brings her back to reality.

"It's okay," Applejack moans when her younger sister runs to her aid. "It's fine. I'm fine. It was just my flank. We're gonna be okay. I promise."

But Applebloom knows that, even if her sister says that she is going to be okay, Applebloom herself wouldn't.

She'd killed ponies before, but she didn't know any of them. She still felt guilty, but it was nothing compared to this.

Her aunt had the same blood running in her veins as she. And she killed her.

She murdered her own family.

**Aww, Applebloom, you know it isn't like that...**

**Remember, the Eurudite like to wear glasses, beware of truth serum, and RIP Fernando.**

**Review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hi, everyone! Happy Thanksgiving! There are two reasons I haven't posted: **

**1. My teacher gave me a week's worth of homework.**

**2. I read the first four-and-a-half chapters of the Blood of Olympus yesterday and now I'm really depressed.**

**chipmunkfanantic:Well, technically Applebloom still has Cheerilee and Crabapple and all those cousins, so Applejack isn't the ****only**** family she has left, just the closest. If I were you, I'd feel sorry for Marble.**

**Here's today's chapter:**

Luna swears that as soon as she wins this war, the first order she'll give is for all the cloud cities to get rid of any rain clouds acting as a floor.

Jumping around in her armor is one thing. Jumping around in a set of armor that already weighed ten pounds, and now filled with water? Not only is it heavy, it's also very uncomfortable.

Los Pegasus is a very rainy place, the spy said, so Luna figured that there's going to be some rain clouds in the way when they attack. She didn't think about it much, because the armory blacksmith made sure that their armor was waterproof.

Then that pegasus shoved her face-first into a floor made out of the material.

Luna sits up, coughing and sputtering and shouting profanities at the pony in golden armor. She shoots a bullet and the pegasus goes down. She smiles.

The alicorn remembers what the armory blacksmith had said. The inside of the armor is made from a material that's strong but rusts easily when wet. That's why there's a thin layer of steel on the outside-to protect the screws and bolts holding the armor together.

Well, so much for waiting for the water to leak out from the bottom. Luna flies into the air and hangs upside down for a moment, trying to let the water flow out from the neckpiece.

She sees another pony coming for her, a knife in hand. She barely flies out of the way before the pegasus delivers a strike that would have taken her head off. Instead, he cuts off a large amount of the princess's mane. Luna frowns. She liked her mane.

Luckily, most of the water has poured out, so the alicorn flips right side up again and shoots the pony. There's still some liquid at the bottom of her armor, but she'll have to worry about that later.

She heads towards the large, glittery building that is the main building of the war base. A few of her generals is already heading in there to find the Solar Empire strategists, but Luna figures that they'd need all the help they can get.

Luna arrives at the gates. There is a number pad, and the attacker assumes that it's to open the gates. The princess knows that the code would be a four-digit one, like most of the key pads in Equestria, and does some math in her head. The number of possibilities is huge. She wouldn't have time to test every single one.

She wonders how her generals could have gotten into the building. Did they just break open the door? No. The door was undamaged. Did they just guess the code randomly and got it right? Maybe, but what are the chances of that?

Luna decides to give it her best shot. She presses the START button on the number pad.

The number flashes on the screen. _6584._

_Wait, what? Why would they just show the code?_ Then Luna remembers the spy she sent. _Well, I guess Cadence's advice wasn't so bad after all._

She enters the key code and the door opens with a groan.

Her generals are still near the entrance, fighting with a group of Solar Empire soldiers. Luna charges forward, her horn flashing.

Most of the soldiers back away. One pony, however, charges at her. The princess's horn glows a more violent shade of cobalt.

The soldier falters and tries to stop, apparently realizing that fighting the alicorn princess of the night during sunset probably isn't a good idea. Too late. Luna blasts him with her killing spell. The pony falls down, dead.

She faces the other guards, her horn still glowing. "I would like to go through this building without any other distractions," she tells them coolly. The ponies scurry away.

Luna feels a surge of happiness. Strange, since she's just killed somepony. She feels unstoppable. She almost hopes to see another pony try and stop her. They'll learn not to mess with the night.

"I hate it when you do that," her general, Tranquility, mutters to her, a small smile on her face.

The alicorn rolls her eyes. But inside, she was horrified. Why is she having such good thoughts about killing? Why does she enjoy it? a few months, when the war first started, she would never have liked it as much as she does now.

Is she a different pony, now that the war has been raging for so long?

_No. No, I don't want to be a crazed murderer! But I do. What is going on!?_

They burst into the meeting room for the Solar Empire generals. A mare screams and runs. The rest of the ponies run to a large shelf with several guns hanging from it.

The guns begin to sound, and Luna forgets about her thoughts before.

-Line break-

Luna faces the mirror in her room a day later, after the battle has finished and she'd fixed any wounds she had.

The blue mare touches her mane. They'd captured one Solar Empire general, and Luna has killed two others. She probably would have killed more ponies if one of her own generals hadn't knocked her down and pleaded her to stop.

She takes out a pair of scissors. The stupid Solar Empire soldier had cut off most of her mane roughly, making it jagged and uneven at many places. Nightingale, the leader of the Children of the Night, had taken one look at it and asked her to please cut it evenly. Luna had decided to take the filly's advice.

She pauses, the scissors just inches from her mane. Her thoughts from the day before come back to her.

Who cares if she enjoys killing ponies so much? As long as she keeps those thoughts to herself and makes sure that she only kills if she needs to, nopony would have to know.

Yes, maybe she is a different pony now than she was before the war started. She is stronger now. She wouldn't shy away from rebelling, like she almost had on Canterlot Capital Week.

Even if she had changed, is it really so bad if it's for the better?

Luna shifts the scissors over and cuts her tail short, deliberately making it jagged. She doesn't want to be the weak pony who throws a tantrum when ponies don't respect her. She wants to be the strong pony who can _make_ the ponies respect her.

She's never going back. The past is in the past.

**If you don't know the reference I'm making then what are you even doing with your life.**

**Remember, old guys smell like chicken soup, Jason is afraid of eagles, and Michael Varus needs to get Riptide shoved up his nose and go die in the river Phlegethon.**

**(If you'll excuse me, I'm going to sob in a corner now, but don't forget to review!)**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hi everyone! Sorry that I haven't posted in two weeks. I got the Blood of Olympus and I was depressed. *Sob* I NEED ANOTHER BOOK!**

**SM1: Yes, I was in that corner for about 95% of the book.**

**Southern Moon: That was what I was going for. Your OC sounds good, but by CE, did you mean the Solar Empire or the Peace Corp?**

**Anyways, here's the chapter:**

Well, Sweetie Belle was out cold. So much for Rarity's plan to work together to bust open the gates.

The sisters had a great plan figured out. Sweetie Belle would break the keypad controlling the gates. Having worked at a thread mill for more than four years and spending most of her spare time at her friends' machine shop has made her somewhat good at taking things apart. Rarity would be defending her.

Then a pony in golden armor came and delivers a blow to the younger sister's head, creating a sickening crack and causing the teenager to crumple to the ground.

Rarity shoots the soldier in rage. Nopony hurts her sister and gets away with it! She looks back at Sweetie Belle and checks if she's okay. Her breathing is steady, so that's a good thing.

Rarity drags her sister to the side of the battlefield. The gates would have to be opened by somepony else.

The mare wonders momentarily if she should try to wake her sister. Then she remembers the first-aid lesson she had in college.

_When somepony gets a concussion,_ the instructor said,_ don't try to wake them up. You could make it worse. Instead, try to keep them still. Put something cold on their heads. Keep the rest of their body warm if it's a cold day. Most importantly, stay with them for twenty-for to forty-eight hours. Or until you've found professional medical help, that is._

Rarity doesn't have anything cold to put on Sweetie Belle's head and the armor she's wearing is already insulated against cold. She looks around. Until they can get back to the Lunar War Base, they will have no professional medical help. She would have to stay with Sweetie Belle and defend her until then.

-Line Break-

"Retreat!" General Scipio screams at the Lunar Republic soldiers. It probably doesn't mean that they've lost the battle. Probably somepony has captured a general, or some pony has taken an important battle plan. The generals have taken a pledge at the beginning of the war to retreat after they've gotten what they need.

Rarity scoops Sweetie Belle up and heads for the opened door of a spaceship. In a moment an electromagnet would pop out to rescue unconscious soldiers and retrieve whatever weapons and armor they can salvage.

Rarity had gotten sucked onto the electromagnet (or the Sucker, as she and Pinkie Pie calls it) a few times. It was very uncomfortable. To avoid that situation again, she hurries on board before the pilot turns on the Sucker.

She sets her sister down to be tended by a medic. It would be nice if she could help out. It feels bad, to just sit there and watch the medics working away, with no way that she can offer help.

Rarity has once considered signing up to be a medic. But every time she considers it, she remembers how messy it would be.

After working her hooves off at the clothing factory, Rarity decided that she doesn't have much beauty left to preserve. But she's still afraid of getting her hooves too dirty. She's still too vain, and she isn't proud of it.

-Line break-

Rarity wonders around the hospital, looking for Applejack, Applebloom, Pinkie Pie, or anypony else she might know. She wrinkles her nose at the blood and other dirty things on the floor, being moped up.

An unconscious stallion groans. Rarity sees a refrigerator on the other side of the ward. She goes and pulls out an ice pack. She puts the icepack on the stallion's forehead, where she sees a frightening burn.

Applebloom runs over to Rarity.

"You've got to come," she tells the older mare, "Applejack's hurt and they've run out of doctors."

Rarity gets dragged along. How is she supposed to help Applejack? It's true that she knows how to wrap a bandage (it's isn't unlike wrapping thread around a bobbin), but she's sure that she can't clean a wound thoroughly without feeling sick.

They reach the cot that the farm pony is lying on in another ward. Applejack looks sickly pale. There's a hole on her flank, just above her cutie mark, that is bleeding very badly.

"How did this happen?" the unicorn asks Applebloom, "The armor was bullet-proof."

Applebloom winces. "Well, apparently it wasn't for that one bullet," she snaps, "You have the best eyesight of anypony I know. You need to remove that bullet and save my sister." She chokes slightly. "Please, Rarity," she begs, "Please."

Rarity looks down so she won't have to see the teenager's pleading stare. If she does try to remove the bullet, and get sick in the middle of it and fails, it could very well cost her friend's life.

But all the other doctors are busy. If they don't do something soon, it would also cost her friend's life. Didn't she take first-aid courses in college? Applebloom trusts her. If Applejack is awake, Rarity figures, she would trust her as well.

She can't let them down.

Rarity turns and tells Applebloom that it would hurt, but she is told that they've run out of painkillers. Rarity grits her teeth, takes a knife, and hopes that it would be over as soon as possible.

She takes a deep breath and sinks the knife into Applejack's flank, ignoring the gasp of pain. For a while (half an hour, she is told afterwards) she is in a trance, focusing only on getting the job done.

When she is done, she is surprised at how easy it was. She hadn't felt too sick. It was coming back, just a little, but Rarity shakes that feeling aside and replaces it with pride of saving somepony's life.

She hadn't gotten rid of her fear of blood, but now she can get around it long enough to be helpful.

"Thank you, Rarity," Applebloom tells her.

Rarity smiles and, before she can change her mind and stop herself, signs up for a doctor on one of the sign-up sheets around the ward.

She is going to make herself useful. No more being the damsel in distress. This time, she is going to be the hero.

**Bet you didn't see that coming.**

**Remember, what happened in Albania STAYS in Albania, never seperate Leo from his wall, and never mess with Percy because he can make toilets explode!**

**I need to re-read more books but review or Gaea will come knocking at your door.**


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